Forgotten
by theHumbleGM
Summary: Princess Lucy is a secretly a wizard, but when she is kidnapped, she is unable to protect herself after she is knocked out and her keys are stolen. In his rush to deliver her, her kidnapper takes her through the Dark Woods, a dangerous and magical place no one dares tread. There, Lucy is saved by an unlikely source and makes a new friend... or is he? (Completed!)
1. Reoccurring Dreams

**Hello readers!** **While I haven't finished watching the Fairy Tail series yet, I have been shipping NaLu almost since the beginning. Hopefully this spin on their relationship will entertain you.**

 **I really appreciate any favorites, follows, and reviews. Don't be afraid to share any constructive criticism - it makes us better writers after all!**

 **I own only the plot of this story.**

 _It was dark, even though his eyes were open. He could hear sounds around him… chains?_

 _There were chains on his wrists and ankles. In front of him somewhere was a voice, chanting quietly. He didn't understand the words, but the tone made him wary. He was so tired…_

 _Had he fallen asleep? It was still dark, but the ground beneath him felt different. Rougher. Before it had felt like smooth bricks; now it was uneven stone and there were smaller rocks digging into his side. The chains were still on him, but there was no voice. Slowly, he rolled so that he was on his knees. Lowering his head, he grabbed at the hood obscuring his vision and pulled it off. After blinking a few times, he realized he was in a cave, with a small fire going in the center of the space._

 _Someone was leaning over the fire with their back to him. It was a small figure, perhaps a woman?_

 _"Where am I?" he croaked, his throat dry as sandpaper._

 _The person looked over their shoulder at him. As they sat up, they pulled down their hood, and everything went black._

 _Then he was floating above the fire, watching as someone who looked just like him crawled awkwardly towards the opening of the cave. Even though he was watching, he suddenly felt terrified. Why was he so scared?_

 _The cloaked figure had their hood up again. Had he even seen their face? They reached for the man, hand outstretched, but not touching. He watched his body be pulled back towards the fire._

 _HIS body, he realized. Was he dead, then?_

 _The figure made him float back over to the fire. His body was crying, he realized, begging to be let go._

 _"I am so, so sorry," the voice whispered. It was soft, feminine. A dainty hand reached for a poker that was sitting in the fire. Suddenly, he was next to his body. He realized it wasn't just a poker, it was a branding iron, with a fire symbol on it. What was she going to do with that?_

 _She took his hand in her free one, chanting again. Suddenly realizing what she was going to do, he tried to move, tried to reach for his body, but his incorporeal hands just passed through his body's arm._

 _Move! He tried to reach out to himself, tried to tell his body to move, but nothing happened. He could see fear in his body's eyes, but his body was still. Perhaps she was using her magic to hold him?_

 _As she finished her chant, she pressed the brand into the pad of flesh below his left thumb. Suddenly, he was yanked back into his body as he began to scream._

 _His body was frozen, refusing to move no matter how much he fought to run away. The pain in his hand was intense, greater than any other he had ever felt. He could feel the burn throughout his entire arm. Unable to do anything else, he continued to scream._

 _After a few moments, she pulled the brand away, leaving the symbol of fire on his hand. His throat even more hoarse, he stared at her pleadingly. "Please," he whispered… begging. As he looked up, he could see a sad smile on her pixie-like face. "Please, let me leave."_

 _"I can't," she said. A tear slid from her eye, soaking into a strand of blue hair that had fallen into her face. "I must do this, but I promise it will get better. Some day."_

 _Suddenly, his entire body felt like it was on fire. A raging furnace, his blood chugged, through his body like lava, scorching him from the inside out. The mage stood as his body writhed, finally able to move again. He felt the shackles loosen, then realized they were melting off his body. He didn't know why, but he looked at the mage again. She gave him a small smile._

 _"Some day," she repeated. "You will find each other again."_

Natsu roared as he woke from his dream. Almost immediately he realized where he was, and shut his mouth. Growling quietly, he pressed his head into the cool stone wall of his cave. He hated that dream. Hated the feelings it created within him. He was a fire dragon for gods' sake. He was one of the most ferocious beings on the planet; he had no reason to feel scared and helpless. And yet, it still took some time to shake off the dream. He'd been having it on and off for centuries now, so he knew the feelings would pass soon enough.

It continued to bother him that he was always so certain that the man he saw in the dream was himself. He was a big, fearsome dragon, not a small, pitiful human. Where would such dreams even come from? He huffed, growing more angry as he thought about it.

He stood and started walking towards the mouth of his cave, hoping it was night time so that he could get out of the cramped space and shake off the feelings still plaguing him. The trip took a little while, but it gave him a chance to stretch out his body. Careful to keep his head and wings from hitting the ceiling, he followed the twists and turns in the dark, his vision perfect despite there being no light. As he reached the end of the tunnel, he could see the moonlight shining in and he smiled.

The sun had set, which meant he could finally leave.

The rumble in his stomach confirmed that it was time to eat. He ducked down and carefully left the small entrance to his cave. As soon as he exited, he unfolded his wings and stretched out his neck as far as it could go, reveling in the feeling of being free. Atop his mountain, he moved to stand at the cliff's edge, feeling the wind sliding along his body and wings.

Natsu could see for miles in every direction from up here. The silence of the landscape comforted him, as it always did. There was no wildlife up here, no towns or roads near this mountain, nothing but him and his home. His scales shimmered in the moonlight, looking more pink than red. His eyes glowed yellow, and smoke lazily drifted out of his nostrils. He took a deep breath, then stood motionless, listening.

He could hear the wind in the trees. Heard the river on his mountain running and then falling into the lake at the bottom. Heard an owl hoot from its perch in a tree. Heard the bugs sing their chorus into the night.

Suddenly, he heard it. Miles away, he heard the sound of hooves, weighted down by at least one rider.

He grinned, his razor sharp teeth glistening in the moonlight. His whole body tensed as he zeroed in on the location of his target.

It was time to hunt.


	2. Her Highness, Princess Lucy

**Hey guys, thanks for your interest and your time! While I am hoping to update this either every or every other week, it's really more of a pet project to help me have some unwind time. Life gets busy, and with the holidays also coming up, down time is sometimes hard to come across. That said, I'll be uploading pieces as they're finished, so it's hard to say how often they'll be showing up.**

 **I only own the plot of this story.**

Lucy yawned as her maids finished redoing her hair for dinner. After a rather busy day, she would have preferred to retire early, but her father had other ideas. With her 18th birthday coming up, he had been searching for an appropriate suitor for her, one who would help more firmly establish Fiore's claim as the strongest kingdom on the continent. As a result, the stress of the last few weeks had been wreaking havoc on her sleep.

"All done!" Her older maid leaned back and smiled softly. "You look beautiful, princess."

Her other maid said nothing, merely smiled her agreement.

"Thanks ladies, you did a wonderful job. You can go now. I can make my own way to dinner."

"As you wish," they said in unison, curtsying. After they had left, Lucy carefully laid her head on her vanity. She would be meeting yet another suitor at dinner tonight. Most noble ladies had parties on their 18th birthdays so that they could meet and converse with potential suitors. She would have preferred to get the majority of the meet and greets done in one evening.

Unfortunately, her father had decided that was too 'common' for her. Instead, she had been forced to meet a new suitor each of the last 22 days, and spend an entire evening with each of them. She also had a sneaky suspicion he wasn't bothering to vet the list, just inviting every bachelor of status he could find. Two nights ago, she'd spent the evening with a man older than her grandfather! If she was to marry and have children to strengthen their family hold, she would most certainly not be doing so with a man who, more than likely, was past his childbearing years.

She lifted her head and checked her reflection again before standing. Her blonde hair had been put back into a high bun with hairs left loose around her face. Her brown eyes were ringed in black liner and some red powder had been put on her cheeks, a new fashion trend that had started recently. With the added color to her cheeks, the circles under her eyes weren't as noticeable as she thought.

She stood and smoothed her hands down the blue dress she wore. Lace criss crossed over her ample bosom to hide her cleavage, as was proper for a lady of her standing. It was also wrapped around her waist and hung from the sleeves where they ended at her elbows. It was one of her favorite dresses. She'd had it specially made, using a painting she'd found of her mother as a young woman.

She looked down at the necklace she had yet to put on. It was a silhouette of a fairy in motion, with hair and a tail flowing behind. Her mother had had it made when she was still a child.

When she'd asked her mother about it years ago, her mother had said that since fairies were such mysterious creatures, there was no way to know what they looked like. They could be bald, or have wings and horns, or even be able to grow to the same size as a person. She'd said that she liked to think they were happy, quick moving little things, with wings and tails that spent all their time enjoying life.

Gods, she missed her mother so much some days…

Lucy put the gold necklace on and smiled at herself in the mirror. She could do this. Her father had said that tonight would be the last suitor she would be meeting for a couple days. If she could just get through this night, then she could have a break. She looked at the door again, checking to make sure it was closed, before moving towards her bed.

Opening the lowest drawer of her nightstand, she dug out a small box. Unlocking it, she revealed a small ring filled with gold and silver keys, along with a leather strap. She quickly pulled up the hem of her dress and secured the strap to her leg. On it, there was a small leather pocket that she tucked her keys into, before letting her dress fall back into place.

Her mother had gotten sick while she was still young, and passed away. Before she'd died, she'd told Lucy a secret, one she'd never told her father. She'd been a wizard since she was 16 years old, a holder type wizard, who could summon celestial spirits to help her. She had tried to join a guild when she was still young, but her family had covered up her power and married her off as a way of raising their status. While wizards were respected throughout the countries, there were still stigmas around royalty using magic.

Her mother, however, had believed that Lucy should able to protect herself, instead of always relying on others. When she passed away, the contracts she'd had with her spirits had been broken, and Lucy had made new ones with them. Since then, she'd been secretly training so that she could summon all of the ones she'd inherited from her mother, plus the two she'd managed to acquire on her own.

A knock interrupted her thoughts. After making sure her dress didn't reveal her keys, she folded her hands in front of herself. "Come in."

The door opened to reveal one of her guards. "The king sent me to collect you, Princess."

Lucy sighed. Of course her father would send someone. She smiled at the man and followed him out of her room, making her way down the hall once the door was closed. The guard said nothing, merely followed behind her as she made her way towards the grand staircase. As she descended, she could hear voices coming from the room at the bottom of the staircase. As she heard her father raise his voice, she paused before she took the last step. The guard behind her paused as well.

Quickly, she weighed her options. Would her father be more upset if she entered while he was reprimanding whoever was with him, or if she did not join him on time? She took a deep breath, fidgeting with her necklace for a moment. Before she could decide, her guard moved past her on the stairs to the open doorway.

"Her highness, Princess Lucy Heartfilia." He bowed deeply towards the room, then moved to the side of the door, meeting her eye with a small nod. She smiled gratefully at him before finishing her descent and entering the room. Her father was already walking towards the door. He held out his arm so she could slip her hand into the crook of his elbow as he turned toward the other man in the room.

"Daughter, this is Mr. Bensley." She could hear and feel the annoyance radiating off of him. "It seems Duke Everlue couldn't be bothered to make the trip on his own to meet you and sent his lackey in his place."

To Mr. Bensley's credit, he didn't outwardly react in any way to the King's words, he merely smiled and bowed to her. "I apologize for the inconvenience, Princess. The Duke sends his deepest apologies, but some business came up that he was forced to attend to."

She couldn't put her finger on it, but something felt off about the man. While his clothes were clean, they didn't seem to be as nicely made as she would expect of a man sent to meet the Duke's potential bride. Then there was the look in his eyes… She couldn't put her finger on it, but there was a strange light in his eyes as he looked at her.

Trying not to be rude, she curtsied at the man. "It's alright Mr. Bensley, I understand that business can not always be taken care of during the appropriate hours. You will have to express my regret over not meeting him myself when you see the duke again."

"Of course," he said, bowing once more. "He will be upset to learn that he was unable to spend the evening with such a beautiful and enchanting woman as yourself."

"Maybe he should show up the next time he is invited, then," her father said. Lucy inwardly groaned. While she understood it wasn't the poor man's fault, her father would spend the whole evening taking the inconvenience out on him.

That strange feeling crawled over her skin again as she met his eyes. Mentally, she shook it off. She would not allow her father's anger to affect her manners. One of them should be civil with the poor man.

"Father, perhaps we should make our way to the dining room," she suggested, looking up at him.

He grunted, then began to walk that way, pulling her with him. She managed to not stumble against the tug on her arm. She smiled at the man. "Won't you follow us?"

"It's not a request," the King said.

Ugh. This was going to be a long evening.


	3. Too Charming

**I am trying to keep each part of this story roughly the same length, but I wanted to get to a specific spot and it ended up being a bit longer than the others. Hope you enjoy!**

 **I own only the plot of this story.**

Lucy laughed, hand held over her mouth. "Are you serious? Could such a thing really happen?"

Mr. Bensley laughed as well. "I'd say ask my horse, but even if he could talk, I doubt he'd admit it."

They laughed together for another moment before the king's irritation finally silenced them. Most of the meal had been filled with her father's gruff questions about Duke Everlue's financial status, assets, and reputation, as well as his current and future business plans. He'd finished just before dessert and Lucy had been trying to make conversation in the king's silence. Based on his demeanor, she could tell he didn't appreciate that the conversation had strayed from the duke.

After clearing his throat, Mr. Bensley looked back at the king. "That was a marvelous meal, Your Highness. I appreciate your generosity in speaking with me in the duke's absence. I hope I was able to answer all of your questions sufficiently."

Without answering him, the king stood and addressed his daughter. "See Mr. Bensley out when you are finished with your questions, daughter. I have some things I should attend to before it gets too late." As he left the room, he spoke to the other man over his shoulder. "Please express my disappointment with the duke when you see him again."

Lucy blushed as she looked at the man across from her. "I am sorry about that. He's been stressed these last few weeks, he's not usually so cross," she lied.

Mr. Bensley waved away her concerns. "I can understand. It happens to the best of us." He looked out the window, where the sun was starting to get low. "As I was riding in, I noticed that you have some beautiful gardens on the south end of the estate. Would it be alright if we took a walk through them before I left? Perhaps you have some more questions you'd like to ask, without your father around?"

Ignoring the slight shiver over her spine, she smiled. "Of course, that sounds wonderful."

A few minutes later, they were exiting the back of the house and making their way towards the gardens. One of her guards followed at a comfortable distance, close enough to keep on eye on her but far enough away to allow for privacy.

"So, tell me," she asked. "What is the duke like? What does he like to do?"

"He's an interesting fellow. He's much more interested in his business adventures that the duchy. He has a council that takes care of running most of the country's affairs." He looked down at her. "If you were to marry him, I assume you would be allowed to join that council and help with making those decisions. It would be your right as his wife, and I think you would do very well."

As she blushed and looked away, he continued. "Outside of that, he also has a fondness for reading. His library is enormous, and he is constantly adding to it."

"Really?" she asked. "I love reading; I think it bothers my father sometimes just how often I hide out in our library."

"You're an intelligent woman, so it's no surprise that you would want to expand that knowledge. Your father should feel fortunate to have such a wonderful daughter." They smiled at each other as they made their way towards a tall wall of bushes. "Is there anything beyond those hedges?" he inquired.

"Oh yes," she answered. "It's a hedge maze. I use to spend all of my time here when I was younger, playing with my mother."

"Was it her idea to put it in?"

"I believe it was here before she married my father, but she had it expanded. It covers almost three acres now."

He whistled as they found the entrance. "That's rather large for a child to run through, isn't it?"

She grinned at him. "Not once you've memorized the correct turns."

He laughed out loud. "So you are brilliant, as I suspected. You would definitely do our little country good if you were to marry the duke." He continued to stare at the entrance, then back at the guard following them. "Would it be alright if we went through the maze? I must admit, I've never been in one before."

Lucy also looked back at the guard, who was pretending to not be paying attention. "I think it would be alright. As long as you stay with me, you won't get lost." Raising her voice a little, she called to the guard, telling him that they were going to make a lap through the maze and be back out in no time.

"Are you sure?" Mr. Bensley asked. "I don't want to get you in trouble by taking you away from your guard." Her guard was also watching now, looking unhappy about her suggestion. He took a step forward but she waved him away.

"It will be alright. Like I said, I know exactly how to make it to the center. I'll have you in and out before the sun has finished setting." Looking behind her, she said, "We'll be back out soon."

Mr. Bensley smiled, then gestured ahead of them. "After you, then."

Lucy smiled and then led him through the maze. As they took the appropriate twists and turns, she couldn't help but think about when she use to play out here. Her mother and she had spent hours out here, in all seasons of the year, playing in the snow in the winter and enjoying the flowers in the spring. She rounded one of the corners, noting that the yellow daffodils they had planted together in one of the pots were looking a little droopy. She'd have to speak to one of the gardeners about that.

"Is there only one entrance?" Mr. Bensley asked from behind her.

"No, there's another one on the opposite side of the maze." She whispered conspiratorially over her shoulder. "And between you and me, the path to get to it is the exact same as the one on this side."

"You don't say," he marvelled, looking around.

It only took them about five minutes to make it to the center. Lucy took a deep breath, smelling the flowers planted around the clearing. A couple benches sat facing the water fountain in the middle, which gurgled quietly. "I love it here," she said, moving away from him. "It's my favorite place in the whole kingdom."

"Are you sure the way to the other entrance is the exact same path?" he asked.

"Yes, but it goes almost to the border of the property, so I don't go there much." Suddenly, she felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise. Before she could turn, she felt his arms around her and one of his hands covered her face.

"Sleep," he whispered. A blue circle appeared over the hand covering her face and she felt herself start to get drowsy. He was a wizard! How had she missed that?

No, this wasn't happening. She was _not_ going to be kidnapped.

Fighting the urge to sleep, she wiggled her arm, trying to reach for her keys. If she could just reach one, she would be okay, she would be safe. Any of her spirits could help her out of this, she just… needed to… reach…

When the princess finally slumped against him, the man smiled. This had to be the easiest job he'd ever done.

As he tossed her over his shoulder, he felt something hard digging into his arm. He quickly set her down and pulled up her dress, revealing her keyring. He pulled the keys out of the pocket, realizing quickly what they were. He laughed quietly to himself as he put her back over his shoulder. The payout for this job was going to be amazing. The king he was kidnapping her for had no idea she was a wizard. All he had to do was hand her over, pocket the reward, and then he could sell these keys and be set for a good long while.

He made his way through the other half of the maze easily, and then whistled. The horse he'd left in the stables had been a loan from the town nearby. His horse was out this way, just waiting to be summoned. He whistled again, and within a few moments, his giant black steed cantered to a stop in front of him. Quickly, he tossed her over his horse's rump and tied her hands together. Realizing the petticoats of her dress were going to get in the way, he reached under and pulled most of the layers off, ripping many of them in his hurry. Then he pulled the dress back down and tied a rope around her knees. After securing the keys in one of his saddlebags, he hopped up on his horse, and pulled her in front of him to ensure that she wouldn't fall off. Turning away from the maze, they set off.

The Dark Woods separated the country of Fiore from it's nearest neighbor south by hundreds of miles. For decades, no one had dared venture into the woods after stories of missing people and deathly magic had started to spread. He could believe there were monsters out there that could kill travellers, but he believed magic was a conscious thing, only able to do damage when cast by magic users. Since no one came out here, there was no magic to deal with, and he was confident he could take on any monsters they may find. He had several swords and daggers strapped to his saddle, as well as a bow. Not to mention he had a few of his own magic items he could use, so there was nothing out here he needed to fear.

Knowing that the guard they'd left behind would get suspicious soon, the man had his horse pick up its speed. He would ride for a few hours before setting up camp for the night. They'd send people out to search, but he was certain he would be safe while he was in these woods.

There were no problems the first few nights. He would wake the princess enough to eat and drink on occasion, and then knock her back out. He'd never had a job so easy.

It was on the fourth night that he felt it. A prickling along his neck. Although nothing around him had changed, he knew.

Something was coming.


	4. Lunch Time

**Hey guys, hope you're enjoying yourselves with this story! It's turning out to be more fun writing than I anticipated. I had to upgrade the rating of the story for this part, just to be safe.**

 **I own only the plot of this story.**

Lucy's kidnapper slowed his horse as he looked around and pulled out one of his swords. Suddenly, his horse stopped, snorting as he adjusted his weight between his hooves. The man tried to comfort his mount, but was suddenly thrown off as something slammed into his back. He hit the ground hard, then tucked and rolled before landing on his knees. Turning back, he saw that his horse had fallen to the ground, his head gone. The princess and some of his bags had fallen to the side. Looking around him, he noticed movement above the trees, but it was quickly gone.

He squatted and moved towards some brush, desperately trying to figure out what had attacked. Everything had grown silent again. Concentrating hard, he slowed his breathing, trying to avoid giving away his position. For a while, nothing happened. Stepping quietly, he moved closer towards his things. The princess appeared to still be breathing.

When a twig snapped behind him, he was ready. Holding his sword, and now a knife, he whipped around, swinging both blades. Before he could complete his turn, he felt something grab him around his middle. It quickly expanded so that it was holding his entire body, and then he was shooting up into the air.

After a second or two, his was let go, but continued to move up into the air. He was far above the trees now, flying high. After losing his upward momentum, he started to fall. Turning in the air, his eyes widened as he saw what had thrown him.

A large red dragon stood below him, eyes and teeth gleaming. As he fell, he began to scream as it opened its large mouth. _He was dead._

The last thing he saw as he entered the beast's mouth was fire. He felt heat and teeth and pain… and then he was gone.

Natsu growled as he finished swallowing. How dare a human enter his domain. Although he had to admit, it was a nice change of flavor from what he usually ate. His mouth watered as he thought of the horse waiting for him. He lowered his torso, moving his head between the branches of the trees seeking out the rest of his meal.

As he found the horse, something smelled off. It only took him a moment to realize what it was; the load the man had been carrying was a woman! He pulled the horse away from her and the bags. Using one of his claws, he snapped the straps holding the saddle onto it. Then he blew some fire on it, roasting the outside before taking it between his massive jaws. As he chewed, he closed his eyes, savoring the unusual taste. Horses were his favorite, but they rarely strayed this far into the woods.

After he swallowed, he moved towards the woman again. He smelled her again, catching a hint of something strange. What was that smell? Natsu pushed his nose into her a little. Why wasn't she moving? He knew he hadn't knocked her out, she'd been hanging off the horse like a sack when he'd attacked.

 _Stardust…_

The thought threw him off for a moment. She smelt like stardust, but that didn't make sense. He wasn't even sure what stardust smelled like, or that it had a smell, but it was the only word he could think to use to describe it.

Ah well, that didn't matter. She would taste the same, no matter her smell.

After a few minutes, he still hadn't made a move to eat her, however. Something was bugging him about her. Natsu didn't _want_ to eat her, he realized. That was crazy, though, why wouldn't he want to eat her? He was still hungry and she was ripe for the taking, not fighting back or anything. Was that the problem? It was too easy? No, that couldn't be it.

He stared at her, her pale hair in disarray, her dress dirty and ripped. Whatever the man's reason for taking her, she had clearly been an unwilling participant in the trip. Not to mention that to get this far, they must have been riding for days. She was probably in bad shape, if she'd been tied like that the whole time.

 _What do I care?_ He thought to himself. _Just eat her already and grab the stuff._ Still, he stared at her. Why was he so reluctant to harm her? He'd eaten women before, he didn't care what gender his meal was, as long as he got to eat it.

 _Enough of this. I'm wasting time_ , he thought as he leaned forward.

Lucy slowly regained consciousness as she felt herself being lifted and settled onto something wet and warm. It took some effort, but she slowly opened her eyes.

Just in time to see what looked like two rows of teeth closing around her. She couldn't process what was happening, not with the magic still affecting her. Her eyes closed again as she floated away.

Natsu spent the rest of the night flying and thinking. Thinking about the woman. There had been something about her, something that made her feel familiar. The smell of stardust was in his nostrils, calming him as he soared over his domain.

The moon was almost full as he looked up at it, the sky clear so all the stars were out. He loved nights like this; a clear sky, plenty of light from the moon and stars, and just enough wind he could coast along. It was a nice warm evening, and even being this high in the sky, he could hear the animals of the night as they went about their business. It was a perfect evening.

Until he caught the scent in his nose again. What was it about that blasted woman that was bothering him so much?

Before he dwell on her further, he felt that familiar tingle on the back of his neck. Looking to his left, he saw that the sky was beginning to lighten, which meant it was time to go home. He adjusted his course and continued his flight towards his mountain.

Natsu didn't remember ever having parents, so he had very little knowledge of his kind, but he was certain of two things. One, he was one of the strongest creatures alive on this planet. He knew he wasn't the strongest; he'd once met, and ended up fighting, a much larger black dragon while searching for a new home a century or so ago. He'd barely managed to escape.

Two, he absolutely couldn't be out during the day. He wasn't worried about people or other creatures hunting him, but the sun hurt him more than the black dragon had. He hadn't been able to ask the other dragon if that was just a thing with red dragons, or if the sun also affected him, so he didn't know. It seemed odd to him that he, as a fire dragon, couldn't tolerate the light from the object that warmed the planet.

He made his way home and into his cave before the sun began to rise. Yawning, he made his way through the cave until he found his nest, in the lowest cave of his labyrinth. Excited for sleep, he made his way directly to the pile he'd made for himself against the far wall and curled up. Before he could fully settle, however, he heard a voice in the dark.

"Is someone there?..."


	5. A Kind Gesture and a Threat

**You guys didn't think I'd** _ **actually**_ **let Natsu eat her, did you? Silly humans.**

 **I own only the plot of this story.**

Lucy had her arms wrapped around her legs, trying to warm herself. She'd woken up only a few minutes prior, in this cold dark cave all alone. Before she'd been able to discern where she was, she'd heard heavy footfalls coming towards her. Whoever it was had settled nearby.

She didn't know how long she'd been out, only that the man claiming to be Mr. Bensley had woken her a few times to feed her and give her water. He'd never woken her up enough that she could fight back or even think up a plan to find her keys and escape. While she didn't know where she was, she was almost certain that whoever had her now was not Mr. Bensley.

Unsure if they were there to help her or not, she decided that the easiest way to figure out how much trouble she was in would be to ask. "I'm sorry if I'm being a bother, but where are we?"

"In my home," came the response, a low, quiet purr. It sent shivers up and down her spine. It had to be a man, but the voice was much lower than any other man she'd ever spoken to.

"I assume you saved me from the man I was with before?"

There was a noise, something close to a laugh, but no other sounds.

Lucy swallowed. "Why have you brought me here? Do you know who I am?"

Natsu chuckled. While the words could have been construed as a threat, the tone had been far from it. "I have brought you here because it is time to sleep and I have yet to decide what to do with you."

"You could take me home," she suggested.

"That is not a possibility for me," came the response. She could hear her new captor settle in.

She felt her fear rising, but she refused to let it get her. "How long do you plan to keep me here?"

"Until I decide what to do with you," he repeated his earlier answer. Annoyed, Natsu looked at her.

She was huddled between some sacks and a pile of boxes, back against the cave wall. Her arms were wrapped around herself, but he could tell she was still cold. He grumbled. Holding up one of his legs, he used his teeth to pull out two cloaks he'd been laying on. He lifted them over to her, dropping them onto her head.

Lucy jumped as two large pieces of cloth fell on her. She adjusted them so she could cover herself, pulling one under herself to protect her from the cold floor. Both were extremely warm; she wrapped them around herself, stopping her shivers within seconds. "Thank you," she said.

Natsu watched as she wrapped herself. When something fluttered deep in his belly, he grew annoyed. It had been a while since he'd had human or horse. They must not be agreeing with his stomach.

"Do you know what day it is?" she asked.

"No. I have no need of such knowledge."

That made her pause. She was stuck in a cave, probably with a man who lived in said cave. She was certain she'd been gone for at least a couple days from home. Where on earth would someone hide out like this? Conjuring a picture of a map in her mind, she tried to determine how far from home she might be.

As she stared hard into the darkness, lost in thought, the dragon watched her, less interested in sleep. After a moment, she began to gesture into the space in front of her. It took him some time, but it appeared that she was trying to determine distances from something.

"If you're trying to figure out where you are, you are very far from home, no matter where that is." She jumped slightly, then pulled her arms back under the cloak.

"How did you know what I was doing?"

"I watched you," he answered as though it was obvious.

She looked his way, squinting, trying to see in the darkness. "It's pitch black in here, how can you see me?"

Hmm. Despite her arm waving, it appeared that she could not see in the dark… Interesting.

"Is that what you were doing with your arms or not?" Why was he asking? Why did he care?

"Yes…"

Lucy began to touch the space around her, trying to figure out what she was sitting near. Making sure to keep the cloaks with her, she began crawling around, feeling her way with her hands.

"What are you doing?" came the voice again from her right.

"I'm trying to figure out what's in here, and perhaps find my things."

" _Your_ things?" he asked, flabbergasted. There was nothing in this whole woods that wasn't his. Who did she think she was?

"Yes, _my_ things. That man took my keys and I need them back."

Natsu growled. "Let me be clear, the only reason you are still alive is because I allow you to live. Do not think you have _any_ claim to the things in this cave, because they are all _mine_ , do you understand?"

The comment annoyed her, even as she felt her stomach drop. "Those keys are everything to me. They are mine until the day I die, and no one else's."

Natsu put his head directly in front of her, breathing smoke out of his nostrils. " _That_ could be _easily_ arranged."

The smoke clogged her nose and throat, making her cough, while heat seemed to pour off of whatever was in front of her. She moved back towards the wall, covering her face as she coughed. The heat seemed to move away, and she heard the movement of something large once again settling down. Her stomach dropped further as she began to suspect that her capture was no normal man.

"Sleep," demanded the voice. "When it is time to wake, I will decide what to do with you."

Lucy tried to ignore her body as it started shaking. She had to figure out where her keys were and get out of here. There was a chance that his solution meant killing her, and she was going to do her best to avoid that outcome.

Since whatever her captor was could see her, she laid down and tried to look like she was going to sleep. In truth, she began to plot. There were obviously things around her, things she could use. If she could just wait him out, he would go to sleep and she might be able to find a light so she could look for her keys and leave. Settling into her space, she found a small bag to use for a pillow. Once she was comfortable, she began to wait.

After what felt like hours, she heard snores coming from nearby. Now was her best shot.

Quietly, she began her search.


	6. Not so Stealthy Search

**As always, thank you for your interest and your time! Enjoy…**

 **I own only the plot of this story.**

Foolish human… Natsu continued his snoring as he watch the woman search, surprising him with how quietly she moved in the dark. It was fruitless, however. There was little she could use to start a fire in his cave so she could see. If she tried to find her way out, she was more likely to find the traps scattered around in the other caves. Plus, the thing she wanted most, her keys, were nestled between two of his claws, and he doubted she was going to be coming close enough to get them. Bemused, he continued to watch her as he kept up the ruse.

Lucy was losing hope. This cave was much bigger than she had guessed. She hadn't found any lamps or anything since she'd started looking, and nothing she'd found had contained her keys, either.

She thought back to her lessons with her magic tutor the week prior.

" _It's time to talk about retrieval magic, Lucy." Erza, her teacher, stood with her arms crossed. As far as the king was concerned, these lessons with Erza were for her needlepoint, a useless skill in her opinion. Erza had been hired by her mother shortly before she'd passed so she could learn how to properly use her magic._

 _As soon as her lessons started, Erza always changed into her armor, something she claimed comforted her instead of wearing a traditional dress. Lucy never complained. Erza was a great magic teacher, so whatever she had to do to be comfortable was fine with her. Currently, she was tapping her armored finger on her arm, making the metal ring._

 _Lucy lowered the key she had been about to use. "What do you mean?"_

" _Retrieval magic can be used by any wizard that uses tools to use their magic, like you and myself. During battle, tools can be lost. They can be knocked away or stolen. Retrieval magic is your way of getting your tools back, so you can continue to fight."_

" _But I don't plan on fighting anyone," Lucy argued._

" _Be that as it may, it does not mean that you won't ever be in a position to do so. Isn't that the point of these lessons? To help you learn your magic so that you can use it to protect yourself if the need arises?"_

" _I suppose." Looking down at the key in her hand, she sighed. She'd been unable to create a contract with the new spirit. Until she had a deal with the spirit, the other magic was learning with the keys wouldn't work right. She had hoped to use her time today to summon them and make a contract so she could practice her other magic._

" _Can we start that next time? I was hoping to make a contract with my new spirit so I can practice the other spells again. They're not working right since I don't have a contract with this spirit yet."_

 _Erza scowled, but agreed. "Fine, but next week you WILL be learning it."_

Lucy reprimanded herself again. While Erza had gone over the basic concept at the end of their lesson, she still didn't know how to do it. If she'd just agreed to learn, she could have found her keys well before now and been on her way home. After a little more searching, she silently threw her hands up in frustration.

Lucy was tired of this, she wanted her keys and she wanted to leave. Looking around and still seeing nothing, she thought, _What could it hurt to try?_

Natsu watched, confused as the woman stood tall and held her hands out, palms held away from her. After a little while, her palms began to glow softly as she turned slowly in a circle. He continued to watch in surprise; he hadn't expected her to be a wizard. Slowly, he closed his talons tightly around her keys.

After she finished her circle, her palms stopped glowing. She stood still a moment and then held out her arm towards him. She screwed up her face in concentration, hand pointed directly at Natsu. He felt her keys shake slightly in his grasp. His grip was too strong for her to call them to her, but the vibrations as they were held back were strong. The woman tried for a long time before giving up, looking frustrated.

With a look of both annoyance and resignation, she got down on her knees and began searching again. After a moment, she stopped, staring in his general direction. Suddenly, she looked scared, and then started crawling back towards where she'd been sleeping. He realized as she got back to her original spot that he had stopped his fake snoring.

She was smart. He was going to have to be careful while she was around. He adjusted his position so that he was more firmly laying on her keys and finally decided to go to sleep. He had nothing to worry about now that he knew what her plan was. Almost instantly, he was out.

Lucy held her breath as she heard him settle. Had he seen her? Had he figured out what she was trying to do? He hadn't said anything so maybe he'd still been asleep. She let out her breath. Maybe she should just wait until morning to ask him. Even though she'd spent the better of her time with her kidnapper sleeping, she was tired. She might as well get some rest. Wrapping the cloaks around her a little tighter, she settled in to try and fall asleep.

An hour later, she sighed, adjusting again. She wasn't use to sleeping on the ground and she wasn't use to the cold that seemed to seep into her bones, despite the cloaks she was huddled in. Whoever was in here was obviously warm enough. Maybe from whatever they'd used to create the smoke earlier? All she knew was if she was going to sleep, she needed more warmth.

She grabbed onto the cloaks and stood up, slowly and quietly making her way towards where she'd heard the voice coming from. It took a little while, but eventually she found what she was looking for. It felt like sacks and cloaks and several other kinds of fabric. There was a large pile, so she moved towards the opposite end that she could hear his breathing. Sighing quietly, she laid down on the empty spot she found. He had definitely been holding out on her. There was something sitting on the pile, hard and warm, that she snuggled up to with her back. Finally comfortable, she settled down and fell asleep.

Hours later, she was awoken by the sound of a roar. The warmth behind her moved, causing her to roll over. As she got up on her hands and knees she could suddenly see. Above her a large face appeared, fire coming out of the mouth as it roared at her.

Her eyes widened and her body froze.

 _It was a dragon…_


	7. Horse is My Favorite

**They always come riding in, to slay the dragon and save the princess; but what if, sometimes, the dragon is just trying to protect the princess? (It's a slow day for me, who wants an extra chapter today?)**

 **I own only the plot of this story.**

 _He was walking through the grounds, his hands held loosely behind his back. Next to him was a woman, with brown eyes that sparkled as she spoke with her hands, her yellow hair falling in waves down her back. He couldn't hear the words; he only knew that he could listen to her talk for hours._

 _Then they were kissing, hiding just off the path behind a large willow. They'd snuck off just after rounding a bush in the path. Her guard was yelling for her in the distance, but they didn't care. They just enjoyed the moment, alone in their own little world. He was careful, so careful, as he held her in his arms and softly kissed her lips. When he pulled away, she looked up at him with pink cheeks and so much love in her eyes that he felt his heart swell in his chest._

 _He was alone, sitting and staring at a brick wall, upset and confused. He'd asked his beloved's father for permission to marry her, but the king had said no. The king had said he wasn't good enough for the princess, he would never be a fit husband for her and he would never see her again. If he didn't leave on his own, the king would banish him, brand him a traitor, and call for his head. He was so confused, he didn't know what to do._

 _Pain._

 _So much pain._

 _He was on his back, screaming as his body burned. It was dark, but the fire was all around him. He could feel it in every nerve he had. He felt the shackles on his wrists fall off and the melted steel pool under his hands. He opened his eyes and looked at the woman standing nearby._

 _She had done this to him._

" _Someday," she said. "You will find eachother again."_

Natsu roared as he woke, still feeling the anger and the pain from his dream.

Someone was in his home. He sense a presence, could feel them touching his tail. He stood and whipped towards the intruder, fire burning on his tongue. He put his face in front of them and roared, fire licking the sides of his mouth.

The human female was frozen, staring up at him. His sudden movement had caused the cloaks around her to fall off, and she was on her hands and knees.

The woman… In his dream there had been a woman who looked just like the one before him. The same colored hair, the same colored eyes… she'd even been wearing a blue dress the same shade as the one in front of him wore. The only other person he'd ever seen in his dreams before was the mage. Why had this woman been there? As he stared at her, he felt something shift in his chest.

New emotions rose up, blocking out the distress from his dream, and he felt… happy. For a moment, he felt himself soar high, as high as he'd ever felt, the same feeling he got when he was flying high above the clouds, alone in the night with the wind beneath his wings.

Shutting his mouth, he plunged the cave into darkness once more. Shaking his head, he ignored the feeling in his chest. It was just a dream, one her presence had obviously influenced. The feelings would wear off as they always did. He watched her as she processed his actions. He waited for her hysteria as she finally realized she was alone with a dragon.

 _A dragon._ Lucy couldn't wrap her mind around it. She was in a dragon's nest. Not only that, the dragon had saved her from her kidnapper and not eaten her, as most rumors suggested about the beasts. What had he done to the man who'd taken her, though? Had he taken her and just let the man go? If he had, perhaps that was why she couldn't find her keys.

She got the sense she was being watched and assumed the dragon's eyesight was not affected by the darkness. Still not sure how she felt about being a dragon's prisoner - because really, what else could she be classified as in this situation? - she decided she wasn't going to wait for the beast to offer answers.

"So you're a dragon?"

"Yes."

"Can you see in the dark?"

"Yes."

"Do you actually breathe fire?"

"Yes, that's what red dragons do."

She swallowed. "Do you eat people?"

"Yes," he answered without hesitation.

"Are you going to eat me?" she asked, her voice lower and shaky.

"I don't know yet."

"What… how are you going to decide?"

"I don't know."

Natsu answered her questions offhandedly. This woman surprised him. He had just roared in her face, spitting fire, and shown her that she was being held by a dragon, the most terrifying beast in the world. Incredibly, instead of getting scared, she'd started asking questions. She hadn't started looking really scared until he said he ate people, and that fear had eased when he'd said he wasn't sure if he was going to eat her.

"Did you eat the man I was with?"

"And his horse. Horse is my favorite."

"Then why did you not eat me, too?"

"I don't know." His voice kept moving around, so she assumed he was moving his head. She clutched the cloaks in her hands then pulled them over her shoulders. That must be how they fell on her, he must have used his mouth to give them to her.

Suddenly, the warm hardness was next to her again. It wrapped around her slightly, touching her sides and back. Lucy lifted her hand to touch it. It was hard and smooth. As she ran her hand across it, she noticed repeating bumps, like scales. Her hand froze. "Is… is this your body?"

"My tail. It looked like you were cold. I assume that was why you moved into my nest to sleep next to me."

She felt her face heat up. "I didn't know I was laying next to you."

"Be that as it may, you did." After a beat. "Are you warm enough?"

She could hear annoyance in his voice as he asked. "Yes, I'm alright."

Natsu was growing irritated with himself. Why did he care if she was warm enough? Whether she was or not, she'd still taste the same if he decided to eat her. He was still tired, but since he'd gone to sleep late, that didn't mean it wasn't night time. He always woke up at the same time, right as the sun set, so he could go out as long as possible.

He carefully lifted his tail, trying not to scare her again. _Not that he cared._ "I have to check the time."

She blinked into the darkness as she felt his tail move. "Wait, wait, where are you going?"

"I'll be back."

"Wait!" she called. There was no response. After a moment, it was silent. He'd said he'd be back, she reassured herself. She should wait.

Or should she?


	8. Time to Hunt

**I want to send a big Thank You out to everyone who's read, like, favorited, and/or reviewed my story. I appreciate your time and interest!**

 **I own only the plot of this story.**

Lucy's heart was beating too fast. The dragon had left her alone. He said he was checking the time, but how would he do that? Was he going outside? How long would he be gone? How deep in this cave where they? Should she try to escape or wait for him to come back? He'd said he ate people, but he wasn't sure if he was going to eat her. Would he decide when he came back?

Quickly, she adjusted both of the cloaks so she could tie them around her neck. Hands free, she began searching through the piles in the cave again. If she could just find her keys, she would be fine. Not caring about the mess or the noise, she began to search the piles as quickly as she could.

Natsu stood just inside of his cave, looking up at the sky. It was indeed nighttime, which meant he needed to go out and hunt. He could hear noises from behind him; it sounded like the woman had started looking for her keys again. She was searching in vain, but he hoped she wouldn't wreck his nest in her search. As he stared up at the sky, he wondered what he should do about her. For some reason, he was still reluctant to eat her. If he left, would she try to escape? He had several of the offshoots of his cave boobytrapped. Would she get caught in one?

He supposed the only choice he really had was to take her with him. It would make hunting more difficult, but he never shied away from things just because they were difficult. Hunting had gotten rather boring over the last decades, he could use a challenge. Turning around, he quickly and quietly made his way back towards the woman. She was ransacking his cave, which he was not a fan of. Hoping she wouldn't notice he was back, he carefully pulled her keys from where he'd wedged them between two toes and put them in his nest before turning her way.

Lucy didn't hear him, didn't even sense that he was back, but suddenly she was being lifted high into the air. She screamed for a moment, until she recognized the feel of the dragon as it picked her up. Furious, she started to struggle. "What are you doing?!"

"Taking you with me," he answered. He tucked her into the cloaks and then grabbed onto them with him mouth, carrying her in the pouch he created, as he started to leave.

"With you where?" She tried to move, but the jostling from his walking and having the cloaks tied around her made it difficult to move. Managing to wiggle an arm free, she reached up and touched him. He jerked his head slightly, but otherwise didn't respond. Curiosity got the best of her as she ran her hands up and down his scales. She found a change in the slope of his snout, discovering a hole with steam coming out. He snuffled, then growled, and she realized it was his nose. Quickly, she pulled her hand back. "I'm sorry."

Natsu stopped growling at her words, rounding the last turn. As they left the cave, he set her on the ground as he moved to stretch out his body and wings. For the first time, she was finally able to see him, illuminated by the nearly full moon.

He was enormous, easily twice as tall as her castle home. His mouth was so large, she was sure he could fit a whole stable's worth of horses in it. As he opened up his wings, she felt tiny. If he were to show up at her home, he could easily block out the night's sky by just standing in the yard.

The dragon threw back his head to yawn and fire shot from his mouth before he stopped to smack his lips. Then he looked down to study her.

Her stomach dropped as she tried to get to her feet to get away. His eyes seemed to glow yellow, focused intently on her. As she tried to move away, he moved one of his feet behind her to stop her movement. Refusing to look away, she stood up and spoke. "If you've decided to eat me, then do it already. I'm not going to let you scare me with your size and your fire."

He stared at her for a moment before he spoke. "What's your name?"

She blinked, dumbfounded. "My name?"

"Yes. Humans still give eachother names, don't they? What's yours?"

"Lucy Heartfilia, Princess of Fiore."

The dragon looked surprised. "You're a princess? Well that explains why you were kidnapped."

"Yes, about that, is there anyway you could get me back home? Not all the way, of course. You'd scare everyone at the castle and I don't want you to have to fight or kill anyone there. Maybe you could drop me off nearby so I could get back home?"

"Lucy…" Natsu let the name roll over his tongue. The name sounded familiar, but for the life of him, he couldn't understand why. He'd never met a human before, so there was little chance he'd ever met a Lucy, and he never gave the humans he'd found a chance to talk much before eating them. Hmm…

"My name is Natsu," he introduced himself, lowering his head in front of her.

"Natsu? I've never heard a name like that before. That's a great name for a dragon."

Unexpectedly pleased by her response, he felt himself smile at her.

As the dragon bared his fangs in what she could only assume was a smile, instead of being scared, she felt relieved, almost happy. She'd been magically drugged, kidnapped, kidnapped again, and forced to sleep in a cave only gods knew where. She had no reason to feel happy, and yet, making this hulking beast smile made her feel like she'd accomplished something truly amazing.

Suddenly, Lucy was certain that this dragon was not going to eat her. She didn't know why or how, but she was positive that so long as she was in this dragon's custody, she would be safe.

"You have a really great smile, Natsu. And I don't know if I said it yet, but thank you for saving me from that man."

Natsu felt his whole body grow warm at her praise. It was such a weird feeling. Being a fire dragon, he was always warm, but this felt different. Shaking his head slightly, he stopped smiling as he turned away from her, focusing. "I can't leave you here alone. Now that it's night time, I must hunt, but I'll have to take you with me."

"Alright… What do you want me to do?" Suddenly, she was being picked up again, this time in his large grasp. He held her so that her head was sticking out and she was able to breathe, but the rest of her was surrounded by his… Foot? Paw? He moved towards the edge of the cliff with her tucked close to his body. "Wait wait wait, what are you doing?"

"Be quiet for a moment."

Mouth still hanging open, Lucy tried to look around, but quickly closed her eyes. The front half of his body was over the edge of the cliff, much higher than she was comfortable being. "You know I think I'd really rather stay here. I'll just get in your way if I come along. I can just sit here on the cliff and wait for you here…" she paused as his body tensed and she heard a growl form in his throat.

Oh, no.

Then she was yanked upwards, into the sky as Natsu jumped from the cliff and spread his wings.


	9. The Dark Woods

**Again, big Thank Yous to everyone taking the time to check out my story. I appreciate you all! (It was my birthday earlier this week and I spent a lot of time just putzing around and writing, so I have a few chunks to share today!)**

 **I own only the plot of this story.**

Lucy sat leaning against a tree with her eyes closed. She could hear the dragon in the distance, no doubt catching another deer. After he'd made his first kill, Lucy had demanded he set her down. Being that close as he'd caught and ate the deer had been more than she could handle. After settling her stomach, they'd come to an agreement; she wouldn't fight joining him in his hunt, but he had to set her down before he made his kills.

She needed to come up with a plan. While she felt safer being with this dragon than she had with the man, she was still a captive. Her father no doubt had people out all over looking for her. If she was going to get home, she needed to get away from the dragon. Unfortunately, there were a plethora of problems with that plan, the two biggest being that the dragon clearly did not want her to get away and she had no idea where she was.

The woods they were in were completely unknown to her. While she didn't often spend time in the woods, she had traveled with her father enough to have seen most of the forests within a few days travel of the castle. Wherever she was right now had several kinds of trees she'd never seen before. That either meant that she was far north, or she was in the Dark Woods.

If the man had taken her north, she wasn't so worried. One of her two best friends was the king of one of the countries up there. Gray would no doubt have people out looking for her, and she would be completely safe once one of them found her. The other option was far less appealing. The Dark Woods had been a taboo place to travel for much longer than she'd been alive. Stories of missing travelers, strange occurrences and rogue magic made even the most experienced travelers nervous about traveling near it.

The ground around her trembled as she heard the dragon land nearby. Before she could stand, something landed on the ground next to her. It appeared to be a chunk of meat, red and bloody, but skinless. Looking up, the dragon was looking down at her expectantly.

"Uh, is this for me?" she asked.

"Yes. I assumed you'd be hungry, too. I kept some deer for you," he said with a large smile. Blood dripped from one side of his mouth as he exposed his teeth.

"I will probably eat it later. Thank you." She looked down at the meat, not sure how she was suppose to carry it. Leaning down, she lifted it with one corner of the cloak she no longer wore, wrapping it carefully after rubbing some of the dirt off. While she wasn't the best cook in the world, her mother had taught her a thing or two when she'd been younger. She'd have to figure out how to make a fire later and cook the chunk of meat so she could eat it. She stood, holding the bundle gingerly. "Are you ready to move on, then?"

He nodded, so she pulled the other cloak around her so he could pick her up again before taking off. They only flew a few minutes this time before he stopped in a clearing. It was a large patch of ground made up mostly of large, flat rocks that discouraged the growth of trees. A small creek gurgled quietly along part of the clearing, both ends disappearing into the woods at sharp turns. After he set her down, she moved towards the water to get a drink. After she washed her hands and took her first drink, she realized she didn't know how long it'd been since she'd drank anything. The water was cold and clean, so it was easy to drink her fill.

Turning back after drying her hands, she realized the dragon had collected a pile of sticks for her near one of the bigger stones. He watched her expectantly as she made her way towards him. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"Humans cook their meat, don't they? I got you some sticks to make a fire."

"That was very nice of you," she said, surprised. No story she'd ever heard about dragons had prepared her for how this one acted. She moved near the pile. "I'm afraid I don't know how to make a fire, though."

"I can make fire," he said, making his mouth glow. "It will be easier to cook on a fire on the ground, though."

"So you collected sticks so I could make one," she realized. "I think I can do that."

After she'd made a passable looking pile, the dragon leaned forward and lit the pile. Lucy took one of the sticks she'd set aside and cleared off the bark so she could stick it into the meat. Setting it aside, she moved back towards the creek where she'd left her meal. Unwrapping it, she used the creek to clean it off. After patting it dry again, she took it and the cloak back to the fire. The dragon had curled up next to the fire where he could watch her. After pushing the stick into the meat, she sat down and propped the stick up with her legs so it could cook.

"Dragon, I have-"

"Natsu," he interrupted.

"I'm sorry?"

"My name is Natsu."

"Oh yes, I'm sorry, that was probably rude," she apologized as she spun the meat slightly. "Natsu, I have a question."

"What is it, Lucy?"

Hearing her name from the beast gave her goosebumps, but she ignored them. "Are all dragons like you?"

"I don't know much about other dragons, but I know there are other colors that don't breathe fire."

"That's not quite what I meant. Is it normal for dragons to… do this?" She gestured between them.

"I don't understand."

"To… well you didn't kidnap me, but I'm not exactly staying willingly. Do all dragons keep people?"

"I don't know," he answered. "I don't know any others."

"Really? Not even your parents?"

"I don't remember them. I don't know where they are or what happened to them or where I lived with them. It was a long time ago, so I imagine I've just forgotten."

"How long ago did you see them?"

"It's been a few centuries."

"You've been alive that long?!"

"Atleast. I don't actually keep track very well."

 _He's lonely_ , she thought. That was probably why he was keeping her around. Being a woman, she wasn't as threatening as a man would be. It wasn't her specifically he was keeping, it was just that she was available.

"Hey Lucy?"

"Yes?"

"I think the deer is burning."


	10. People are Terrible Pets

**This gets more and more fun to write as I go. (Have a third helping guys, I had a lazy day on my birthday.) Thank you for reading!**

 **I own only the plot of this story.**

"Whoops." Lucy pulled the meat out of the fire to check it. One side of it had charred a little bit, but it was still okay. She stuck it back over the fire.

"As for keeping people, I've never done it before. I don't know if there's a right or wrong way to do it."

"Well most people would say that doing it at all was wrong."

Natsu did not respond, just watched her as she cooked the meat he'd given her. "I suppose we should make you your own nest when we get back. What else do humans need?"

"Well, food and water of course. We need sleep, so a bed, or a nest, would be nice. Somewhere to use the bathroom. We need clothes and shoes to protect our bodies and keep us warm. We need soap and tools to keep our bodies clean and medicine if we get sick. Most of us have hobbies that keep us entertained so we don't get bored. We take a lot of work. I'm not sure if I'm worth all the effort to keep around. It would be much easier for you to take me home."

He shook his head. "I like having you around. I can make it work. There's lots of stuff in the cave you can use."

Sensing she wouldn't get anywhere on that front yet, Lucy tried to change the subject. "How much do you know about the land around here?"

"I know the whole forest."

"Do you know where Fiore is from here?"

"I don't know the names of any of the lands around my forest, just what's in it."

"Are there any towns or roads?"

"No. I ate everyone who came through, so people quit travelling here."

Her stomach fell as she finally realized where she was. "We're in the Dark Woods."

"I do not know what the humans call it."

 _I'm never going to be found_ , she realized. No one, not even her father, would dare send people through these woods to look for her. If they ever figured out that she had been brought through here, they would assume she was dead. No one had successfully traveled these woods in decades and now she knew why. The forest wasn't full of dark magic or deadly beasts. It was just home to one very large dragon.

Natsu sensed that the woman had become very upset. The meat was not burning and after listening intently, he knew there was no danger nearby. "Are you okay, Lucy?"

She looked up at him. "I was just thinking about my home."

"The cave? I'm sure we can get it cleaned up and make space for you, I wouldn't worry about it."

"No, Natsu, not the cave. I'm talking about my other home, where I was taken from. Are you sure there is no way I can go home?"

He looked a little angry. "I was nice enough to not eat you and you want to leave me?"

"Well, that's not quite-"

He stood up. "Maybe I should reconsider that choice."

"Wait, Natsu-"

"I thought we could be friends. Dragons do not share their homes or their treasures. Yet, when I offer, you ask to leave?" Natsu was feeling things he usually only felt after his bad dreams. Why was he so upset about her trying to leave? He'd known he should eat her or let her go from the start, but now that she was asking to leave, he was somehow surprised and hated the idea. Before he did something he may regret later, he opened his wings and shot up into the sky.

Lucy dropped the stick with the meat to protect her face as Natsu blasted off. When she opened her eyes, she didn't see him anywhere above her. The fire had been partially blown out, many of the sticks scattering. She moved the meat aside, then grabbed another stick to fix the fire with. After getting the fire mostly put back together, she continued cooking the meat.

In his absence, she considered trying to find her way home. Since the moon was out, she could figure out which way to go, but she had no idea how far away it was. Plus, she knew from the distances they'd covered so far he would easily be able to hear her and catch her if he wanted to. If he was going to eat her, she'd rather not waste her time trying to run away. A last meal sounded much more appealing. Besides, if he didn't come back, she would need the meat for her trip. She still had no idea how to start her own fire so she might as well use the one he'd made while she had it.

Lucy let out a long sigh as she looked up at the sky again. Maybe she could try staying with him for a while and befriending him. Eventually she might be able to convince him to let her go home. Maybe if she did it right, she could convince him to just let her come out to visit him when she had time. On the other hand, she could just make him choose between eating her or letting her go, but she really preferred staying alive.

Eventually the slab of meat was fully cooked and Natsu had not returned. A little annoyed, she used some of the branches to prop it up near the fire to keep it warm and then moved into the woods. She'd read several books on plants in the library, so she decided to try and look for something else to add to her meal. She managed to find a few berries and familiar looking greens before her stomach began to growl too loudly for her to ignore it. She carried her bounty back towards the clearing, pausing at the creek to clean the dirt off, before setting it down by the fire. After adding some more branches to the blaze, she settled down to eat, alone.

A few miles away, Natsu was still flying in circles nearby, trying to let go of his negative emotions. He hated the way his stomach hurt and his heart felt heavy. He was sad that Lucy wanted to leave him, but he didn't know why. She was just a human and he barely even knew her. Still, the thought of her going away made his heart hurt and his body burn. Lifting his head, he shot higher into the sky. After he leveled out, he found the sweet spot with the best drafts as he flew high above the world. From up here, he could see the clearing where he'd left Lucy. There was a faint glow, so he knew the fire was still going. Was she still there? Had she tried to leave? The thought made his stomach drop, but he recovered quickly. On foot she'd never be able to make it far enough he couldn't find her. Slowly, he adjusted his trajectory so he was slowly turning back towards the clearing. Even though he was still upset, he wanted to be with the human again. Flying wasn't making him as happy as he usually was and he missed her.

As he slowly lost altitude, his stomach suddenly seized and he had the sense that Lucy was in danger. He waited a minute to see if it would stop, but it didn't. Instead, the feeling increased, causing him to increase his speed to get back to her. As he made it to the clearing, he circled low over the trees, listening. There was no danger that he could hear or see, but the feeling in his stomach did not go away.

Lucy looked up, as she licked her fingers, seeing that Natsu had finally returned. He landed hard, looking angrily around the clearing.

"Hey, Natsu, I'm sorry-"

"Quiet," he said, continuing to look around. The steam from his nose was coming out more thickly than before.

"What is it?" She also began looking around as she stood.

Natsu lowered his head, sniffing the fire and the clearing. As he smelled the spot where she'd been sitting, he finally found it. There were plants next to the meat he'd given her that she had obviously been eating with it. Deeply, he breathed in their scent, realizing the berries were poisonous.

Fear, another new emotion for him, crept its way up Natsu's throat as he looked at her with wide eyes.

"Did you eat them? Did you eat the berries?!"


	11. Burn

**Happy Sunday! (Or whatever day it is for you!) I wanted to quickly address one of my reviews (thank you for all of them, of course.) While I'm no botanist myself, I do understand that finding deadly berries is hard to do. In a magical AU though, anything is possible. (Also, nightlock is a thing in a certain, popular universe.) I'm addressing this now because I feel there will be similar questions after this part, concerning a certain dragon's scales and how they will be affected in this section. I promise there will be an answer to it by the end of the story. As always, thank you for reading!**

 **I own only the plot of this story.**

"DID YOU EAT THEM?!" Natsu roared at her again.

Terrified, Lucy froze, staring up as the beast stared down at her. She'd lost her voice, unable to answer. Her knees started to shake as she fought to stay on her feet. "I…"

"Answer me!" Natsu demanded, stepping forward. As he stalked her, her legs gave out and she landed on her knees.

 _Oh no_ … Natsu dipped his head down towards her body, pushing his nose against her body. He frantically sniffed at her, trying to figure out what was happening.

"I was going to eat them last, but you can have them," she whispered. "I know where they are if you want more…"

Natsu froze. "You didn't eat any?"

"No. I'm sorry I didn't answer you, but you scared me."

The breath he let out scattered the remainder of her dinner and blew out part of the fire. "Thank gods."

Lucy felt the dragon relax at her side. Confused, she looked towards the food she'd been eating. "What's wrong Natsu?" Suddenly, he grabbed her cloak and pulled her quickly but gently away from the fire. "Natsu! What are you doing?"

"The berries are poisonous. Don't eat them."

"What? How can you tell?"

"I can smell it."

Looking at her food, she realized the meat had settled on top of the berries. "My meat is bad now. That was the only food I had."

"I can catch more." He moved himself between her and the food, still not comfortable with how close she was to the berries. "We need to get going."

"I'll just put out the fire then so we can move on."

"Don't worry about it," he said as he grabbed her. Turning, he slammed his tail onto the fire, scattering the sticks and embers, before lifting off.

As they flew away from the clearing, the fear and worry slowly leaked out of Natsu, making him feel much better now that she was safely away from harm. Knowing the sun would rise soon, he started making his way towards his home.

As he helped Lucy into the cave for the final time that night, he tried to ignore how sore he was. He hadn't been willing to let Lucy out of his sight while she had cooked the meat and gathered her water, so he hadn't hidden from the sun in time. His scales and skin hurt all over his body, his eyes stung and he felt weak. As he guided her to the correct cave, he had to squint to see where he was going. She carried a lantern with her and his cave was lit by several more, but they seemed to be making it worse for him to see. As they entered the space, Natsu stepped around the mess they'd made and carefully curled up in his nest. As he settled, he kept an eye on the woman as he tried to relax.

Lucy set down the lamp she carried as she began to move some of the crates to clear a path through the mess. Natsu hadn't spoken much since they'd gotten to the cave. It had taken a little while to find the appropriate tools so she could cook her meat and collect water. He hadn't been happy with how long it had taken to get everything figured out. Now that they were done, the beast seemed relieved to be back in his cave. She didn't have any experience with dragons, but she was almost convinced that he wasn't feeling well. He'd been very careful about how he laid in his nest and he'd been moving more slowly outside as the sun had come up. At least, that was how it had looked to her.

She finished making her path and then began to extinguish the lamps she'd set up. Taking the last one, she moved towards the bed she'd set up next to the dragon's nest. Among the tools and treasures she'd found so far in the cave, she'd found an old mattress that was probably new when Natsu had originally taken it. After covering it with some blankets she'd found, she had made herself a very comfortable bed. When she'd initially tried to clear out a space for it, her new companion had become agitated and demanded that she sleep next to him. His argument had been that he wanted to keep her safe in case anything came into the cave, not that she believed it. Lucy had a feeling he was becoming attached to her.

After setting the lantern down, she got under the covers of her bed and got comfortable. As she stretched out her aching muscles, she turn to look at the dragon. His eyes were closed, brows furrowed slightly, breathing slowly. Concerned, she sat up. "Are you okay, Natsu?"

One yellow eye opened to peer at her. "Of course. Why do you ask?"

"I don't know, you just… you almost look like you're in pain."

"I am, but it will pass," he said, closing his eye again.

"Did you fight something?"

"No, I just can't be out in the sun, it burns me. I didn't get inside in time today. I will be okay by nightfall."

"Wait, Natsu, are you saying you got hurt because of me? Why didn't you just come inside while I finished up outside?"

"I couldn't protect you from inside the cave," he answered as though it was obvious.

"I highly doubt I was in any danger out there. There aren't a whole lot of animals on this mountain from what I've seen. I think you just living up here is all the protection I need while I'm here."

"Perhaps, but I needed to be sure." Natsu tucked his head in next to his leg, hoping to end the conversation.

Lucy smiled up at him. He'd essentially put himself in danger to protect her, someone he'd known for less than two days. A human, even though he'd said himself he eats any people who enter the woods. She realized she actually felt some affection for the beast despite herself.

As she settled in, she noticed there was a spot on his tail near the tip that was noticeably redder than the red of his scales. She felt bad that he'd hurt himself to protect her. Sitting up, she looked into the darkness around her. While she had quite a bit of the cave to search still, she recalled seeing a doctor's kit. Although she wasn't sure how old it was, she wondered if there was anything in it she could use.

Quietly, she got up, grabbed the lantern, and moved through the piles to where she remembered seeing it. After a few minutes of digging, she found the case and opened it. Using her limited knowledge, she went through the supplies she found until she came across a tin filled with a thick, slightly yellow paste. It smelled like aloe, which she remembered using several times as a child when she'd spent too much time out in the sun with her mother. It was a little dry, but she hoped if she added water, it might loosen up and be useful again.

After adding some water from her buckets, she moved back towards Natsu, who was softly snoring in his nest. Carefully, she set the lantern near his tail so she had both hands. She stepped into his nest, trying not wake him, and then put a glob of the aloe on his scales. When he didn't move, she carefully smoothed the paste over his scales, gingerly lifting the scales to get it down onto the skin. After finishing with his tail, she grabbed the lantern and made her way around his body, looking for more spots. Finding one near the top of one of his legs, she worried for a moment she might wake him if she climbed up to it. She decided that he could hardly get angry at her for helping, so she set down the lantern and carefully climbed onto his bent leg to reach near his shoulder. He grumbled and adjusted, making her grab onto his side to avoid falling off. After he settled again, she quickly covered the spot and climbed back down.

As Lucy was turning away, she noticed a spot on one of Natsu's feet that looked rather odd. Careful not to shine him in the face, she moved forward to look at it. The bottoms of his feet were not covered in scales, but large, tough looking pads of skin with smaller bumps. The spot she was looking at, however, was pale, almost as pale as skin.

Not only that, it looked like a burn in the shape of fire.


	12. Precious

**As always thank you for your time and support. I appreciate every like, follow, and review!**

 **I own only the plot of this story.**

 _She was sitting on a chair by herself, desperately trying to blend into the wall so she wouldn't be asked to dance again. After being stepped on no less than_ _ **seven**_ _times, she was done with it for the evening. As she watched the crowd, partially hidden by a large tapestry on the wall, her gaze was caught by an unusual looking man._

 _He had spiky pink hair and dark eyes and his entire outfit was slightly disarrayed. He was missing a jacket, his sleeves were rolled up and the buttons on his vest were undone, as well as a couple on the top of his shirt. For some reason, she felt her heart beat a little harder as she watched him laugh at something someone else said. Suddenly, he looked at her. Across the dance floor, through all the moving bodies, his eyes found hers like a magnet. After a moment, he smiled at her, and she couldn't help but smile back._

" _Quickly, follow me." He was holding her hand tightly as he led them through the shadows of the gardens. Before long, they were secreted away in a small gazebo hidden in the far corner. As he pulled her inside, she threw herself in his arms. It had been a whole week since they'd seen each other and she had hated the distance. "I have missed you," he murmured into her hair._

" _I have, too," she whispered back. She pulled back to look at him and he gently took her face in his hands. "I've been so lonely without you. I'm starting to think you might be too much fun. It's too quiet and calm when you're not around."_

 _He gave her his most radiant of smiles in response, his onyx eyes catching some of the moonlight from above. Then it softened as he slowly ran his finger tips along her cheeks, nose and neck. Carefully, he tipped her chin up and ran his thumb along her bottom lip. As her lips parted, he bent down and pressed his mouth against hers. His lips were soft and warm and oh so gentle as he kissed her. This was how he always kissed her, as though she was the most precious thing in the world. At least, the most precious thing in_ _ **his**_ _world._

 _Before he could pull back, she lifted up onto her toes and pressed her mouth more firmly to his. When he growled low in his throat, she took her chance to sneak her tongue into his mouth. He stiffened, but in a flash had her pushed back against one of the posts and began to kiss her deeply. Still careful, but with so much more passion, he used his tongue, teeth, and lips to give her a kiss so scorching, her entire body set on fire._

 _She was running through a maze, desperately trying to outpace her guard. Without her petticoats, it was easier to run between the hedges as she took the turns she knew she needed to take. It took her no time at all to make it through to the other side. As she broke through, she found herself in the woods. She didn't pause as she continued to run between the trees, trying to get away, to outrun the pain plaguing her._

 _He'd left. Without a word, a note, anything. Her beloved had vanished as though he'd never been. As though they'd never talked, never touched, never kissed… Her heart was bleeding in her chest, she was sure. There was no pain that could equal this. As she ran, her eyes filled with tears, making it difficult to see. Suddenly, her foot caught on a root and she fell. She scraped her palms as she caught herself, the pain nothing like what she felt in her chest. Exhausted, overwhelmed, and hurting, she lost the will to keep going. Slowly lowering herself onto her side, she curled up and sobbed quietly into her knees._

 _It was nearing dark when a gentle hand touched her shoulder. She looked up into the eyes of her dearest friend and protector. "He left," she whispered._

 _Her friend silently nodded. "I know and I'm so sorry. I'm going to check you for injuries, okay?"_

" _It's just my heart that is broken."_

 _Delicate hands were raised and they started to glow as she checked over her charge. When she got to the woman's hands, she used her magic to clean and heal her palms. Then she stood and quickly removed her cloak, revealing a pixie-like face and blue hair. Even with her slight frame, she was able to get her friend up into a sitting position and put the cloak on her. "Do you think you can stand?" she asked softly._

" _I suppose." Looking around, she saw that she'd stopped under a willow tree. It's branches fell all the way to the ground and it had three large trunks that had grown and wrapped around each other. As the two stood, the taller woman looked down at her friend, fresh tears forming in her eyes. "Why do you think he left me?"_

" _I don't know."_

Lucy refused to open her eyes as she woke up. Tears quietly spilled from the corners of both eyes. She both hated and loved her dreams of the pink haired man. She'd been having them for as long as she could remember. Her dream man had been her first crush, still was if she was being honest. However, she hated how he sometimes hurt her by leaving.

There was no rhyme or reason to the dreams, so she didn't know where they came from. Some of the places in her dreams looked vaguely familiar, and the mage who helped her looked an awful lot like her best friend, but she'd never met the man. Had never in her whole life met a man with pink hair or those dark, onyx eyes. Carefully, she lifted her hands and dried her eyes. Then she stretched as she stood up. Realizing she had to pee, she fumbled in the dark, eventually lighting her lamp. Quietly, she made way to where she'd made a makeshift toilet. When she got back, she could see that Natsu had also woken up. She could hear him grumbling and snuffling as she made her way through the cave.

"Did you do something to me?" The dragon was sniffing at his shoulder in disgust.

"Yes, I put some ointment on your burns to help them heal."

He stared at her for a while as she made her way towards a chest full of clothes. After digging around for a while, she pulled out a tunic and pants. Setting them aside, she dug a little more until she found a belt. As she grabbed her things, she started to walk away, presumably to change somewhere.

"Thank you." She turned around when she heard him speak. His eyes seemed to glow with a dull yellow light as he watched her.

She smiled back at him. "You're welcome." Then she moved into the dressing room that she had made for herself.

Natsu watched as she closed the sheet of her little space. Even though he knew she wasn't far and he could still hear her as she changed, he felt some worry as he lost sight of her. It was ridiculous that he felt so protective of the human. It wasn't just because he hadn't known her long or because she was a human. He'd never been attached to anyone in his entire life.

He'd never cared that he was alone. He'd never cared that he couldn't remember his family. He'd never cared for much of anything. Then this woman shows up, and suddenly, he'd be willing to give up his entire hoard just to keep her safe.

He was pretty sure he'd give it all up just to see her smile.


	13. Coming Clean

**(Forgot to clarify in the last part, but Natsu's scales being able to be sunburnt is a conscious choice on my part, one that will be explained later on, I promise.)**

 **Many thanks for the likes and follows!**

 **I own only the plot of this story.**

When Lucy left her makeshift dressing room, the dragon was still staring in her direction. "Did you expect me to disappear? You're staring awfully hard over there."

Natsu couldn't find his tongue, couldn't find the words. How had this happened? Dragons had no problem finding things they wanted and adding them to their hoard without wasting any time, but this was different. He didn't just want to keep her. He wanted her to choose to stay of her own accord. He wanted her to like him.

"Natsu?" She moved towards him. His entire body was frozen but his eyes, which followed her as she walked towards him. "Is it the clothes? There are dresses in there, too, but they're difficult to move in out in the woods. Plus, I didn't think you'd mind what kind of clothes I wore."

He suddenly stood and began to make his way out of the cave. "I need to go out and hunt. Grab what you need so we can leave."

She moved towards her bed and grabbed the bag she'd prepared earlier before following him out. He was acting odd, she was sure of it, but she wasn't sure what the problem was. There didn't seem to be any leftover ill effects of the burns he'd received, at least not that she could see, and she hadn't known him long enough to know from his actions what could be bothering him.

As they left the cave, he moved towards the cliff edge and did his usual stretches to prepare to fly. She also moved towards the edge to take in the view. She could see for miles in every direction. Looking to where the moon was rising, she figured out which way was north and looked that way. Oddly enough, she did not miss home as much as she thought she should. While she had many more comforts there, there was also much more obligation, especially with the recent husband search.

She breathed deeply of the warm night air, loving the clean scent of the earth. Behind her, she heard Natsu moving toward her. "Are you ready?"

"Sure." She hugged her pack to her stomach as he carefully picked her up and brought her to his chest. After taking a moment to listen to the night, he took off. They flew for a while this time, before they set down. Keeping an eye on the moon, she was certain that he flew in several large circles, which seemed odd. The previous night he had gone in straight lines directly at his prey.

When they set down, Lucy couldn't believe her eyes. He'd landed next to a small clearing with a single tree in the center. As he set her down, she couldn't believe the sight in front of her. The leaves of the tree glowed in many different colors, from purple to green to yellow and every other color between. "Wow…"

"I'd like to leave you here while I hunt. Is that okay?"

"Sure, absolutely. I can wait here. How long has this tree been here?"

"Longer than I have."

"Is it always this colorful?"

"No, and I don't know why it does this either."

"Well it's beautiful all the same." Before he could react, she leaned her head against his chin. "Thank you for showing me this."

"Uh, you're welcome. I'll be back in a little bit." With small flaps he got himself into the air before finally shooting off.

Natsu was going crazy. He was feeling too many things all at once and he wasn't use to it. He felt scared that she might get hurt while he was gone. He felt regret over lying to her about her keys. He felt worried that once she found out he'd hid them, she'd leave. He felt confusion about what to do with her. He felt possessive about her and never wanted her to leave. He felt anger towards the person who'd kidnapped her and whoever he had tried to bring Lucy to.

He felt something inside of him soften when he thought about her, about her smile and her voice and her eyes. He didn't like feeling soft. He was fierce and deadly, not soft. Flapping his wings more forcefully, he tried to ignore his emotions and focused on his hunger so he could hunt.

Lucy found a soft patch of grass at the base of the tree where she sat down and opened her bag. She pulled out a waterskin to take a drink as she looked up at the tree above her. It was the most gorgeous thing she'd ever seen in her entire life. Digging a little in her bag, she pulled out a book she'd found in one of the boxes. It was a large leather bound tome about magic creatures. While many of the creatures she'd seen when she'd scanned it previously were fictional, she'd hoped there might be something about dragons that might have some truth to it. The light from the tree was enough for her to read by so she didn't pull out her lantern. Instead she leaned back against the trunk of the tree and opened to the table of contents. There were many names she recognized and many that she did not, but the one she sought was near the top: dragons.

She flipped to the correct page and was disappointed to find that there was only one page about them. Most of the contents were speculation, about the possible colors and powers each might have, as well as character traits. One that stuck out to her was about each dragon having its own treasure hoard that it would fight tooth and nail to protect. Natsu had mentioned his the previous night, and that he was willing to share it with her. Did that mean the book was wrong, or was he just different from most dragons? Nothing she read felt helpful, so she committed again to her original plan of befriending him and convincing him to let her go home. She settled in as she began flipping through more of the book.

It was almost two hours later that Natsu finally returned. He'd taken his time hunting, going closer to the edges of the woods than usual to change up his usual hunting grounds and give himself some time to collect himself. He'd made a decision while he'd been out and he wanted to talk to Lucy while he still had some time before the sun came up.

Carefully, he landed near the tree where he'd left her, and then made his way towards it. As he reached the clearing, Lucy walked his way from under the tree. She was holding a book in her arms and smiling up at him. He lowered his head towards her and rubbed his nose against her side. Surprised by the action, Lucy stumbled a little before catching herself. Since she did not move away, he stayed like that a moment, breathing in her smell. His insides clenched a little as he realized again what it meant about her.

"Was your hunt successful?" she asked as she rubbed his nose where she could reach it.

"Yes. I think I will be good for the night."

"Wonderful!" She pulled away, opening the book she was holding. "I have a question," she said as she flipped pages in her book.

"Lucy, I have something for you."

She stopped flipping pages. "What is it? Is it more meat?"

"Well, yes, I do have some of that, too." He held one of his talons up to her, where a chunk of meat was skewered. This one had been skinned and cleaned, so there was no blood dripping off it like the previous ones.

"Thank you! I have something I can wrap this in and we can cook it later." She moved towards her bag and quickly took care of the meat. "Say, in the book I'm reading, there's a little bit about dragons in it. Is it true that all dragons have hoards that they don't share with anyone else?"

"Yes."

"Then why are you sharing yours with me? I mean, initially you said it was all yours, but you've been letting me use a lot of it."

"I don't know," he answered as she moved towards him again. "That's actually what I want to talk to you about. I haven't been fully honest with you."

"Really?" She sounded surprised. "From our interactions, I'd say you're a pretty honest dragon. Brutally honest sometimes."

"Well, I haven't lied to you or anything, but I haven't told you everything I should have." He took a deep breath. "When I figured out what you wanted from my things, I didn't want to give them to you because they were part of my hoard. Now that I think I know _why_ you want them, I'm afraid you want them so you can leave."

"Are you talking about my keys?" she asked.

"Yes. I didn't answer you when you asked about them because I didn't want to lie." He looked away from her to stare guiltily at the ground. After a long pause, he finally spoke again.

"I know where your keys are," he said softly.

 **Hey guys! I really do hope you guys are enjoying this, because I'm having a lot of fun with it. The (spoilers) flashback/dreams are a ton of fun, and I really liked writing the batch for Lucy. I have a ton of ideas popping up for more of those, which has me considering writing more from when they originally met. If you'd be interested in reading a series of one-shots or another story from that time frame, leave me a review and let me know! Happy reading!**


	14. Impossible Connections

**I've been excited for this part since I started writing this. Who's ready for the unveiling?**

 **I own only the plot of this story.**

"You… you have my keys?" Lucy was stunned. That meant that her spell hadn't failed. When she'd done her location ritual, she'd been sure she'd found them, but her summons had failed. When she hadn't heard anything or seen anything later when she'd looked with the lamps, she had figured she'd caught some other magic signature and her keys had just gotten left behind where the dragon found her.

"And you kept them from me?" Anger welled up inside her. To think she'd been starting to think this beast wasn't so bad. She'd _told_ him those keys were her life, and he'd continued to keep them hidden from her.

"Yes, but now-"

"I _told you_ … I asked…" Lucy was having trouble finding the words and more trouble controlling her anger. Realizing she was still standing close to him, she turned and moved away. "I can't believe it!" Then she laughed. "I should believe it. You're a beast, so I don't know why I would expect anything less. You hunt and kill and keep your trophies. My keys and I are just more trophies."

"That's not true."

She whipped around to face him, finger raised, before she stalled out. Fear seeped into her body a little as she looked at him. She was a slim female woman, with no way to defend herself, about to yell and argue with a large dragon who could easily silence her by eating her. Her anger cooled a little as she tried to reign in her temper.

"You're not a trophy, Lucy," he said, noticing the glint of fear enter her eyes. "I don't know why, but I like having you around." He laid himself as flat as he could against the ground, trying to be smaller and less frightening. "You feel familiar, even though I've never met you before. Your smell makes me feel good, like when I'm flying high in the sky. I hate the thought of anyone entering my home, but I like watching you dig through my things and using them. I like having you around."

There was a long silence as she tried to sort through her emotions. Turning away, she put her book back with her bag and stood to stare at the tree for a while. Eventually, she took a deep breath and turned back. "Why are you telling me about my keys now?"

"I want to give them back to you."

"So do that."

"I can't until I know you won't leave."

"They're just keys," she lied. "It's not like you lock me up and I could use them to escape."

"You can use them to leave me. Those keys unlock the stars."

Lucy tried to hide her surprise. "What are you talking about?"

"I finally figured out your smell. Your keys smell the same, and I recognize the symbols on them. That's why you smell like stardust, because you're a celestial wizard."

Her eyes widened at him. "How do you even know about them? I thought you didn't interact with people."

He shrugged. "I know a lot about things I've never seen before. I think it's inherited knowledge from my parents."

This conversation was getting weird. Her anger was draining from her bit by big but she wasn't done being mad yet. He looked so remorseful, she was having trouble keeping the heat in her voice.

"Alright, so why do you want to give them back to me now?" she asked.

"I want to be friends, and friends don't hide their friends' things. I don't want you to leave though, so I can't give them back until you promise not to use them to leave."

"I can't do that. They're probably the only way I have to return home safely since you won't bring me."

"I don't want you to go, though."

"Natsu, friends don't hide their things from them, but they also don't _keep_ them either. If we're going to be friends, you can't keep me as part of your hoard, okay? You need to let me go home. I have people I miss back home. I have responsibilities and a whole life outside of this forest."

"If you leave, you won't come back, and I won't get to see you again." His voice was quiet and sad.

She ran her hands through her hair, wishing she had thought to put it into a ponytail. "I probably can't come out here too much, no. This is a long way away from my home. I'm a princess, after all. I have a lot of people I have to meet with and there's always guards around. It was my foolishness that managed to get me caught this time, but I doubt my father will allow me as much freedom and risk me getting kidnapped again."

"So if I let you leave, you'll never come back and we won't be friends." Natsu stood up, agitated. "I don't want that. I'm sorry, I can't give them back to you."

"Wait a minute." Lucy moved towards him as he stood. "We can still be friends. Friends don't have to see each other all the time to be friends."

"If you leave, I won't ever see you again. I won't let that happen." He moved forward to grab her.

"Wait, let me think." Lucy stepped back with her hands raised. There had to be some way to do this. What she had said was true, she was probably going to have her freedom reduced a lot when she returned home. Unfortunately, he was way too big to just come out and visit her at the castle. On the other hand, she hadn't agreed to come visit him. If she could just get her keys and get home, she could just forget all about this mess. Would that work though? The longer she was around him, the less scary he seemed, but he had eaten people before. If she never came to visit, what would he do? Would he forget about her, or would he try to come visit her at the castle. If he did, either her father would rally all the countries to go kill him, or Natsu would eat everyone there, both of which she'd like to avoid. A dragon was not the kind of friend that would be convenient to have visit, though.

Eventually, she may get some of her freedom back and be able to sneak away from her guards. She might be able to get out to the woods to visit him, but they'd have to meet miles away from the castle so he wasn't seen. He was just too noticeable.

She sighed. "If only you weren't so big, it would be much easier for you to come to visit. You're bigger than the castle, there's no way you wouldn't be noticed if you came my way."

Natsu looked stunned for a moment. "Oh. I can't believe I forgot about that."

He moved back a step and closed his eyes. His brows furrowed in concentration and his back arched up as his body started to glow. Waves of heat rolled off his body as he started to shudder as he glowed brighter and brighter.

"Natsu, what are you doing?" she asked as she stepped back farther. The ground beneath her feet started to shudder a little as his claws dug into it and his wings opened up. She raised her arms to block her eyes expecting him to take off. When he didn't, she risked peaking up at him, and saw that he was shrinking. His body was half the size it had been before and it was still shrinking. The heat was oppressive and her eyes stung as they dried out, but she refused to look away. He continued to get smaller and smaller and the trees around groaned as they stood straight again. Eventually he stopped shrinking and the heat stopped pouring off him as he stood up on two legs.

"Darn, I didn't finish it," he said looking down at himself as the glowing stopped.

Lucy felt wobbly as she stared at the new Natsu. He looked more human now, but he was a little too tall. His legs looked the same, still covered in scales with taloned feet, but they were more human shaped and sized. The scales came up to his waist and covered patches along his now human arms and chest. His hands were also covered in scales halfway up his forearms and his fingers ended in black talons. Wings still sprouted from his back, about the same height as his body. The same black horns sprouted from the top of his head with scales around the bases. His chest and arms were covered in toned muscles and pale skin. Near his feet, she could see his tail moving along the ground. None of those things got to her the way his hair did, though. Spiky pink hair covered his head, hanging in front of his face as he looked down at himself.

Lucy's legs buckled and she landed on her butt. Natsu was still examining his body, so he hadn't picked up on her distress. Her breathing sped up as she tried desperately to hold herself together. It couldn't be. There was no way.

"Sorry," he said. "It's been a long time since I used this form, so I kind of forgot I had it. I must be out of practice, because I was trying to go full human."

Then he looked up at her with a familiar face and dark, onyx eyes.


	15. Overload

**Oh man, that last part was SO MUCH FUN to write. I was looking forward to half-human Natsu from the start. I hope you guys liked it, too. Now, about those keys…**

 **I own only the plot of this story.**

Lucy couldn't breathe. Her heart ached in her chest. She was already on the ground, but she felt like she was still falling.

Natsu cocked his head to the side. "Are you okay?"

 _He cocked his head to the side, looking confused. "Did you forget that we made plans today?"_

He came to kneel in front of her and took her hands in his. She continued to stare as he studied her with a worried expression. "Lucy, are you okay? I can hear your heart racing."

 _He kneeled in front of her, worry written all over his face. "Are you okay? Was that too fast for you?"_

"Lucy?"

" _Lucy?"_

Scraps of her dreams mixed with Natsu's actions in her head. She couldn't separate the dream from the dragon in front of her, even with the physical differences. All she could see were his eyes, all she could hear was his voice. It was _him_ , and yet, there was no way it could be. Dark spots clouded her vision and Natsu's voice grew distant. She leaned forward, putting her head between her knees and focused on her breathing. _This dragon was somehow the man from her dreams._

When she felt like she might have caught her breath, she raised her head to look at Natsu again. He was still kneeling in front of her, holding her hands and studying her face. "You're not quite so pale now, that's good. Did I surprise you? Like I said, it's been a while since I've used this form so I kind of forgot I had it."

His voice made goosebumps rise up all over her skin. It made her heart race and her muscles clench. It was so familiar to her but this was the first time she'd ever heard it with her ears. _How was this happening? How was it possible?_

"Lucy, please say something. You're worrying me."

" _Lucy, you're worrying me. What's going on?"_

It was too much for her, and she finally succumbed to the darkness.

As Lucy fainted, Natsu caught her and gently helped her to the ground. He had _not_ expected that. She hadn't gotten nearly this worked up when she'd found out he was a dragon. He'd been certain she could handle his human form, or the almost human form he'd managed. He wasn't quite sure why he'd stopped mid-transformation.

He could hear her heart beats even out as he helped her lay more comfortably. This wasn't going nearly as well as he'd hoped. He'd expected some sort of argument, but he hadn't anticipated this. Looking up at the sky, he considered trying to wait her out and hope she roused in time, but the night was already more than half over.

He moved forward and grabbed her things, then placed them in her arms. He put his arms under her legs and arms and got a firm grip on her body. After checking that he'd grabbed everything, he took off into the sky. It took him a moment to get use to flying in his smaller form. He was more upright that usual and with Lucy in his arms, it took a bit to figure out his balance. After a minute, he managed to readjust and made quick work of getting them back to the cave. After laying her down on a grassy patch near the entrance, he set about getting a fire put together to cook her meat.

When Lucy finally came around, she could smell the meat. She didn't immediately move, instead continued to breath slowly as she tried to figure out where she was. Hadn't she just been by the glowing tree waiting for Natsu? Before she could question further, her eyes shot open as she remembered what she'd seen. Before she could collect her thoughts, Natsu was leaning over her again. Seeing that face again made her heart start pounding more fiercely.

"Your heartbeat is climbing again. Do you want me to go back to my other form? You don't seem to be handling this one very well."

Finally finding her voice, Lucy said, "No, I'm okay."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "I'm not so sure about that. Do humans generally keel over when they're fine?"

She needed something else to think about, anything else. She sat up, nearly smacking him in the face with her own. "Are you cooking?"

"Well, I'm trying to. I generally eat my meat raw or mostly raw. You seem to like yours cooked so I was trying to finish it before the sun rises."

She leaned away from him and stood to make her way to the fire. She picked up the stick and checked the meat. It was a little dark for how done it was, but he wasn't doing too bad with it, so she put it back where it had been cooking. "It looks pretty good. It's mostly done already."

Natsu beamed. "Good, I was hoping I wouldn't mess it up too bad."

Her heart thudded again, and she turned to watch the fire as he sat next to her. "So I have some questions about your human form."

"Alright."

"You said something before about going full human. Does that mean you can transform more than you already have?"

"Yeah, I can get rid of the horns and wings and everything. It's been a while, so I guess I'm out of practice, I hadn't meant to stop at this stage."

"I don't mind," she said. "At least this way you're decent."

"Decent?" He sounded confused.

"Yeah. If you had gone completely human, you'd be naked and that would have been weird."

"I don't understand. I'm still naked."

"Well yes, but it's different."

"How so?"

Oh boy. Her cheeks warmed as she tried to find the best way to explain. "Well, humans wear clothes when they're around other people, like how I am right now." She gestured at her outfit. "It's not proper for people to walk around naked with their… private areas just out for anyone to see. The way that you are right now, your human parts aren't displaying anything they shouldn't. At least, not anything that's _too_ indecent."

"What areas are private?"

"Uh… Well…" Desperately she searched for the right words. "The areas humans use to attract a mate and make babies."

"Oh." Out of the corner of her eye, she could see him looking thoughtfully at himself.

"When was the last time you used your human form?" she asked, trying to change the subject. If he had ever used it to visit town when she was younger, then maybe she'd seen him. It was the best explanation for how she'd dreamed of this form before meeting him.

"It's been a long time. Honestly, I don't really pay attention to the flow of time or how it's measured. My best guess is a decade."

"What were you doing when you did it?"

"Sneaking into a camp of people to eat them."

Well _that_ was certainly not where she'd seen him. "Have you ever used it to go into town and be among people? Like during the day?"

"I can't be out in the sun in any form and I've certainly never spent time in a town."

Before she could try to articulate her next question, she was distracted by a thought. "My keys… You said you were going to give me my keys."

Finally, she looked at him. He was already looking at her, the fire dancing against the darkness of his eyes. "Not yet," he said.

"Why not?"

"Not until I'm sure you won't leave."


	16. Going Home

**Hey guys! Christmas is coming up in a few days and I've been working on stockpiling these a little so that I could give my followers a bit of a Christmas gift! I'm not sure how much time I'll get next week to write, so this one may have to tide you over for a bit. I hope you all enjoy! Merry Christmas!**

 **Also, I want to quickly address a review from part 15 before we get onto the story. In part 7, Natsu has a few dreams that involved Lucy, but I did not properly express that that was the** _ **first**_ **time that she appeared in his dreams. He chalks it up to her presence and doesn't look into it further than that. I have gone back and adjusted it, so thank you agirl0ntheinternet for pointing that out so I could fix it! And thank you everyone for your support so far!**

 **I own only the plot of this story.**

"I thought we talked about this. I need to leave," Lucy said.

"What I meant is that you won't leave and never come back." He gestured down at his body. "I can change my appearance so I can blend in better and come visit you at your home if you don't want to come out here."

"Uh…" What would she possibly tell her father about a half naked man dragon coming to visit her? "I don't know if you can blend in enough like that."

"Like I said, I just have to try it a few more times so I can get the hang of it again, but I'll be able to look full human."

A dragon masquerading as a human with no propers manners would never be allowed to enter the castle while her dad was there. "Even then, you can't be out during the day and it's improper for a woman to entertain a man who isn't her husband at night."

"Oh. Well then I can just meet you in the woods."

That would be easier said than done after her kidnapping episode, but it was more reasonable than trying to hide a full fledged dragon out there.

"That is much more doable."

"So then we have a deal? I give you your keys and help you get home, but I still get to see you every night?"

She was a little surprised to hear the part where he was offering to get her home, but she focused on her end of the deal. "I can't guarantee every night. My guard detail is going to be especially tight right after I get back. I can come visit sometimes, but it won't be every night."

He stared thoughtfully into the fire for a while. Lucy leaned forward to check on her meat. Since it was cooked all the way through, she pulled it away from the fire so it could cool.

"Natsu, we can be friends, and I promise I will do my best to come visit you as often as I can. As friends, you can trust me. Friends don't break promises to each other."

"How will I know when you're coming to visit, though? What if I fly all the way out there and you don't show up and I don't get to eat?"

"For starters, you should eat before you come visit. I don't want you to go hungry. I'll have to think about the rest." How _would_ she let him know when she was going to come out and visit? They'd have to find somewhere in the woods that she could easily get to for them to visit, but how would she let him know when she was or was not coming out there?

"Natsu, do you know how to read?"

"Read?"

"Yes, like words in a book." Her bag was nearby, so she pulled out the book she'd been reading. "Can you read any of this?"

Natsu leaned reached a finger towards the book. "That's a fairy," he said pointing at the picture.

"I meant the words Natsu." She pointed at the beginning of the page. " 'Fairies are mythical beings that are typically categorized by their small size and playful natures.' Can you read any of the words on the page?"

"The shapes look nice, but I don't think I can read them, no."

She looked disappointed as she put the book away and then picked up the meat so she could eat while she tried to think. Maybe if they agreed on a location, she could find a way to get some sort of simple note out there using one of her spirits. If she did that, though, there were probably going to be questions and she didn't want to risk one of them being spotted. There were no spells she was aware of using her keys that could do it, and asking a guard was out of the question. She might be able to ask Levy when she came out to visit, but that would lead to a lot of questions she wouldn't be able to answer. Plus, Levy sometimes got too busy to visit her for weeks at a time, which might lead him to do something crazy. She'd have to find some way to keep Natsu a secret if she was going to protect him from everyone else.

Knowing that she had to wait another night to leave, she decided not to worry about that detail just yet. "How about when you take me back, we find somewhere nearby that we can meet up, together. I'll teach you some symbols that I can use to leave you messages so you can know if I'll be coming out, how does that sound?"

He rubbed his chin with a claw for a moment as he thought about it. "Alright. I think I'm okay with that deal."

"Great! Now where are my keys?" she asked.

His eyes widened. "Why?"

"So I can have them back."

"But you're not going home yet."

"Yes, but I'd like them back now that we've made our deal. Like I said before, those keys are very important to me."

"If I give them back to you, you might leave early."

She sighed. "I promise I won't use them to leave. I'd just like them back."

He looked skeptical, but then he brightened. "If I give them back now, can I meet them?"

"What?"

"I wanna meet them! I've never met a star before."

"They're not stars, at least not all of them. The zodiac spirits are, but the rest are just spirits."

"Well, can I meet them?"

Lucy considered the spirits that she had. Some of them would be fine for him to meet without causing too much trouble, but some would have a problem with her being held by a dragon. "I suppose you could meet a couple of them."

He shot to his feet. "Then let's go! I've never met a celestial spirit before! I'm all fired up!" He grabbed her hand to pull her to her feet and towards the cave.

"Wait, Natsu, my bag!"

"Oh, whoops. Suppose we should clean up first. The sun is going to rise soon." Lucy looked up and saw the faint purple glow on the horizon that confirmed his words. "I'll get the fire!" Natsu moved towards the fire and used his feet and tail to spread out the remaining logs and pat down the flames.

When they finished and Lucy had her bag, Natsu once again grabbed her hand and dragged her behind him as he ran into the cave. Again, she considered using her keys to get home on her own, but there was so much that could go wrong if she couldn't appease Natsu. While she didn't fear for herself, he could easily tear apart anyone at the castle without a second thought.

Once they'd made their way to his cave and she'd lit some lights, they sat together in his nest.

He leaned close to his nest and sniffed around for a while before he dug into a spot and pulled her keys out. As he handed them to her, he kept his eyes downcast. "I'm sorry I kept them from you."

"You're giving them back now, that's what matters." As she took her keys, she relaxed as she felt each spirit through their bonds. One wasn't particularly happy, but she'd deal with that later.

"So who do I get to meet?" Natsu asked as he leaned forward, eyes bright.

She took a silver key off her ring as she smiled. "Someone very special."

Lucy held out her key as she summoned her spirit. "Open, gate of canis minor, Nikora!" There was a bright light and puff next to her as the gate opened. Next to her stood a small white spirit with two legs and arms and a cone shaped nose. "Hey Plue, it's been a while. How are you?"

"Puu!"

"That was so cool!" Natsu leaned forward as he shouted, startling the small spirit. Plue hid behind Lucy as the dragon cocked his head. "It's kind of small, isn't it? Are all the spirits that size?"

"They come in many sizes. He's the smallest one I have a contract with right now." Lucy reached behind her to comfort the spirit. "It's okay, Plue, he won't hurt you. I want to introduce you to my new friend." She smiled at him to help him feel more comfortable as he moved back to her side. "Plue, this is Natsu. Natsu, this is Plue."

"Nice to meet you," Natsu said as he waved at the shaking spirit.

"Puu-puun!" Plue waved back as his shaking lessened.

"Can you do anything cool?" Natsu asked.

"Puu. Puu…"

"I think that's pretty cool, don't sell yourself short."

Lucy perked up. "Wait, you can understand him?"

"Yeah, can't you?"

"Not really…" She looked between the two.

"Do you have any other cool spirits?"

"A few, but if I summoned most of them, they'd probably put up a fight with you being around." She looked down at her spirit. "Thanks for coming to visit!"

"Puun!" Plue lifted his hand in farewell as he poofed back home.

"I'm not sure that fulfills our deal. You said I could meet some of your spirits not just one." Natsu squinted his eyes at her.

"How about later? I'm actually pretty tired."

"I am, too," he admitted. "It takes a lot out of me to hold this form. You mind hopping out of my nest?" Lucy nodded and walked over to her bed to set down her bag. A wave of heat assaulted her while her back was turned, and when she looked behind her, she saw that Natsu had reverted to his dragon form and was curling up in his nest. He sighed when he finally settled in. "Much better."

"So is it really that difficult to stay in a smaller form?"

"Not super hard, but it's draining to do it for long periods of time. When I'm shrunk down to any size, I always feel like part of me is squished and trying to pop back out."

"That makes sense," she said as she moved towards the pile of clothes she'd found. As she searched, she felt Natsu's eyes on her. "Do you need something?"

"No. Just can't shake the fear that you might use your keys to leave." It was still strange to her just how honest he was.

"I promised I wouldn't, and I won't. I have nothing to gain and everything to lose by not upholding that promise."

He made an noncommittal noise in the back of his throat and continued to watch her. After she changed and settled into her bed, she met his stare. "Are you going to do that all day?"

"Yes," he answered.

One side of her mouth raised in half a smile. "Do you ever even try to lie?"

"What's the point?"

She sighed. "I don't want you to be up all day. I'll feel bad if you don't sleep. What can I do to help you feel better?"

His eyes shifted down ever so slightly and then back up, but he didn't say anything. She looked down at the keys still sitting in her lap and then back at him. "Do you want to hang on to these until nighttime?"

He didn't say anything, but he looked away from her. She sighed, then walked over to him. "Give me your foot," she said gently. He watched her as he slowly tipped his foot up towards her. She heard him make a sound as she set her keys down in his grasp.

Natsu couldn't believe she was giving him her keys again. He was completely shocked. After all that fighting and she was letting him hold on to them again so that he wouldn't worry. He carefully folded his claws over the keys as she looked up at him sternly. "Do not lose these. I'll let you hold on to them, but I'll never forgive you if you lose them."

"I promise I won't."

At his words, she smiled radiantly at him and then moved back towards her bed. Before she made it there, he moved. "Wait."

Lucy stopped and looked back at him. "What?"

Natsu adjusted a little in his nest and then patted the space next to his hind leg. "Since this is your last night here…" He floundered a little. "Do you want to sleep next to me? I know it gets cold in here, but I can keep you warm."

She studied him a moment. Lucy was pretty sure she was getting better at reading him, but it was still difficult. He looked unsure of himself, but she wasn't sure why. As his eyes shifted away, she decided that if he had been in his human form, he'd be blushing. It was actually pretty amazing to see such a large beast look so unsure of himself.

Lucy tried not to laugh as she turned away. "If that's what you want, sure. Just let me grab a blanket." His tail, which had been laying near her bed, flicked up and down a few steadily. _Holy cow,_ she thought as she put her hand to her mouth to cover her laugh. _He was so excited his tail was wagging._ She didn't even know dragons _did that_ **.** After grabbing her thickest blanket and her pillow, she moved over and settled in next to him. "You're not going to roll over and crush me in the middle of the night, are you?"

"No, I don't move in my sleep. You'll be safe." She saw his tail slowly move around to the other side of her, making her smile again. When she felt a puff of air in her hair, she tipped her head back to see that Natsu had settled his head within a few feet of her. She reconsidered her choice of blanket as she realized she was surrounded on all sides by the dragon's warm body. Chuckling, she reached over his tail towards the lantern to extinguish the fire. "Good night, Natsu."

"Good night, Lucy." She felt him carefully nuzzle her head before moving his head away again. Moments later, she could tell he had fallen asleep.

Lucy rolled onto her back and put her hands under her head as she stared into the darkness. This had been the craziest few days of her life. She'd been kidnapped from her home, been saved by a dragon who then decided to keep her, befriended the dragon, and made a pact with him to stay his friend in exchange for him taking her home. She chuckled as she realized no one would ever believe such a story, even if she were to decide someday to share it.

Her smile faded, though, as she brought to mind the image of Natsu in his nearly human form. The pink hair, the smile, the eyes… those eyes had haunted her sleeping and waking hours for so long now. Although he'd been a figment of her imagination, she'd always felt close to him, always felt like he was important in some way. She'd heard rumors of fortune telling magic, but never heard of any specific cases of it being real. In her case, it felt more like a memory than a prediction of the future, which is why she had been so certain that she must have seen him somewhere before. From what Natsu had said, though, there was no way that was true. So how on earth had she managed to dream about him for so long before meeting him?

Another problem with that theory, was the woman who showed up at the willow tree. She looked so much like Levy, it was eerie, but she'd never met anyone else who looked like her.

A yawn escaped her mouth as she realized how tired she was. As she snuggled into her blanket, she realized the warmth coming from Natsu's body was what was causing her sleepiness. Even with the cool air in the cave, she was nice and warm surrounded by her new friend. A small smile lingered on her lips as she curled up and fell asleep.

Her dreams that night were different from the others. They felt less like memories and more like her other fragmented dreams. She was home, sipping tea in the gardens with Levy while Natsu was curled up napping nearby. She was flying above the kingdom on Natsu's back, laughing as he flipped and spun in the air. They were sitting in the clearing with the glowing tree, having a picnic.

He was in his human form and they were dancing at a ball in the castle. They were laughing as her friends came to sit with them at the head table. She was running through the maze, the moon high above her giving her all the light she needed. He was chasing her, trying to find his way through the maze as well. She was sitting on one of the benches in the center of the maze as he finally found her.

They were swaying together next to the water fountain, the music from the castle loud enough to be heard. Natsu was leaning down and their lips met, eagerly learning each other.

 _She was finally home._

* * *

Natsu slept horribly during the day. He didn't move, just as he promised, but he barely slept. Every time he'd wake up, he'd have trouble falling back asleep, so he ended up watching Lucy for a while until he slipped off again. When he finally woke up for the night, Lucy was already awake. She'd managed to get out of his nest and was working on something in his hoard. He yawned wide, a cloud of smoke rising up to the ceiling. "What are you doing?"

She looked up. "Sorry, did I wake you? I was trying to be quiet."

"No. At least, I don't think you did. I don't remember hearing you." As she moved to light more lanterns, he tried to stretch out a little. "What are you doing?" he asked again.

"Just boxing everything back up. I don't want to leave a mess when I go home." As she replaced the top of the crate she was working on, she felt a wave of heat envelope her. Looking up at him, she saw that the smoke coming from his nose was thicker than usual and his eyes glowed bright as he stared up at the ceiling. She kept her sigh quiet as she finished up the last box. The heat had abated some as she walked back towards him.

He made a noise as she got his attention. "Natsu?" When he continued to look away from her, she let a long drawn out sigh. "Natsu, please try not to be difficult."

"I'm not being difficult."

"You're right, but you're obviously upset."

"You're leaving," he grumbled.

She moved back towards the last box and finished putting things in it. All that was left was to change back into her gown and put away the one she was wearing. "Do you want me to clean up the bed?"

"No, it can stay there," he answered quickly. She gave him an odd look but didn't say anything as she grabbed her dress to go change. As she went into her little space, he leaned towards the bed and took a deep breath. Her stardust smell was all over it, and he relaxed as he breathed deeply again. She came out and put away the last of the clothes she'd borrowed.

"Alright, I have something over here for you."

Natsu perked up. "For me?" He stood and moved over to her.

"Yeah. I set out some clothes for you so you can bring them with you when you come to visit me." She blushed a little as she gestured at the piles she had put together. They were spread out so that he could grab a pile without messing up the others while he was dragon sized. "That way you won't be naked when you shrink down."

"If you want that, I guess I can bring them with. I won't mind either way."

"I know, but it will be better this way. Trust me."

He shrugged. "Alright."

"I tried to grab clothes that would fit but I'm not sure how big you are when you're fully human."

"I could change and try them on if you like."

Before she could respond, he was shrinking down next to her. She turned her back as the wave of heat hit her. Eventually she heard movement behind her again and the cave began to cool down. "So this must go… nope, that doesn't feel right. Hmm, this looks like the right shape." There was some rustling. "That doesn't seem right either."

"Have you never worn clothes before?"

"I've never needed to."

She carefully turned her head his way. In her peripheral, she could see him with cloth on his legs, but he was struggling. She moved forward towards the disheveled pile and found the pants still there. Keeping her face turned away, she said, "Natsu, that's the shirt." She held out her hand and the top was given to her.

Lucy went through the pile with him, teaching him where each piece went. As it turned out, she had picked clothes that fit just about perfect. By the time he put the shirt back on, correctly this time, he was decent enough that she could turn his way and help him. He hadn't buttoned his pants before putting on the belt and he'd just tied it on instead of using the holes.

"Uh, here. Let me help you." Cheeks burning, she carefully adjusted the pants and belt so they were on correctly, the whole time showing him how. After helping him button the shirt, she stepped back and looked him over. "I have no idea what size shoe you should wear, or if you even have the right size in here."

"Shoes?"

"For your feet." She lifted her own foot to show him.

"Oh, I won't need those. I'll be okay like this." As he gestured down, his sleeve flopped a little on his arm.

"Whoops," she said. "I forgot about the buttons on your sleeves."

"That's okay, I think I've got it." He held one of the sleeves up to inspect. The look in his eye changed, and he stared into the distance for a moment. Then he carefully rolled up the fabric to just under his elbows. Lucy's mouth grew dry as he moved around, checking his range of motion. After pulling on the collar a bit, he unbuttoned the top two buttons on his shirt and then moved his arms again.

 _He was missing a jacket, his sleeves were rolled up and the buttons on his vest were undone, as well as a couple on the top of his shirt._

 _Suddenly, he looked at her… After a moment, he smiled._

Natsu looked up at her and smiled. "How do I look?"

"Natsu…"

"Yeah?"

She focused on his clothes. The pants were just a little too short and too wide at the waist. The shirt wasn't tucked in and had a small hole on the front near his chest. He was shoeless, his feet exposed but obviously comfortable on the cold stone.

Lucy was certain that her dreams were trying to tell her something, but she had other things to worry about right now. She would talk to Levy once she was back. Her best friend read even more than she did, although with more acceptance from her parents. Maybe she knew something that would help her figure out what was going on. After a deep breath, she smiled at him. "You look great."

He smiled back at her, a wide grin with just a hint of pink on his cheeks. She turned back towards her work with another deep breath. "Alright, so each pile here has the same set up so you won't have to learn how to put on anything too difficult. So long as you aren't seen by anyone, these clothes should work just fine." After pulling out a couple sheets of paper, she moved towards the wall where she had a candle burning. "Before we leave, I came up with some symbols that you can memorize so that I can communicate with you with messages."

She went through each picture, and after he committed it to memory, she used the candle wax she'd created to hang them on the wall. A check mark meant she'd show up that night. An arrow meant she'd come in a few days. An X meant she wasn't sure when she would be available.

"I think I can remember that," he said as he finally undid the last of the buttons on his shirt. He quickly removed the remainder of his clothes and rolled them up. She kept her back turned as he once again changed his size, then he carefully picked up the pile of clothes and started leaving.

"I suppose it's time to go," he said, his obvious displeasure back in full force.

She picked up her keys from where she'd left them and looked around the cave one last time. "Goodbye," she whispered, and then ran to catch up to Natsu.

* * *

They flew for a long time before they set down, several miles from her home. Natsu kept himself low, but over the tops of the trees he could see the castle from where they'd stopped, several lights still glowing inside it. His stomach was in knots and he hated it. He preferred being alone, so he couldn't figure out why he was so upset about letting Lucy go. Ignoring the discomfort, he leaned down. "Do you want to walk from here? I can shrink down again and finish flying us the rest of the way, if you prefer."

"No, let's walk. I could use the time to think." She started slowly walking as he shrunk down and put on the clothes he'd tried earlier. He caught up to her as she was attempting to step over a wide stream.

"Here, let me help." Without thinking, he picked her up at the waist and walked through the water to the other side. She shrieked quietly in his arms.

"Natsu! You're pants!"

"Hmm?" Looking down, he noticed that the bottom of his pants had gotten wet. "What's wrong?"

"Wet clothes get uncomfortable if you're in them too long."

Since he hadn't put her down yet, she could feel his body heat intensify. "I can fix that."

"Can you put me down first? You're really hot right now."

He didn't notice the way her entire face turned red as he shrugged. "Sorry," he said as he set her down. They walked for a while before the heat he was throwing off lessened. Looking down, she saw that the legs of his pants weren't wet anymore.

"So, have you figured out what you're going to tell your family?"

"Kind of. I think I'm going to pretend that I don't remember anything. Just say that I was kept asleep most of the time with magic. If I can pretend that it was too fuzzy for me to remember details, then I won't have to lie and lead them down a false trail. Someone did have me kidnapped, after all. I do want Father to figure out who it was."

"Are you going to show up at the front door?" he asked as he took her hand to help her over a tangle of roots.

"Actually, I think I'm going to let them find me."

"How are you going to do that?"

"I'm going to hide in the maze. The guards don't patrol it, so they won't see me tonight, but the gardener goes through it every morning to water the potted flowers. He'll easily find me before breakfast."

Natsu nodded as they continued to walk. He hadn't let go of her hand yet, and she didn't say anything as he led her through the woods. They were quiet for a while, so he noticed immediately when her body stiffened and she slowed down.

After he quickly scanned their surroundings, he turned her way. "What's wrong?"

Lucy stared straight ahead of them, eyes wide, mouth parted. He turned back and saw nothing he didn't see before. She slowly walked around him, but didn't let go of his hand. Not sure what to do, he let her take the lead as he continued to scan their surroundings.

It was bigger, and many of the branches on the ground look like they've started to dig their way into the dirt, but she was positive it was the same tree. Unconsciously, she squeezed Natsu's hand and he followed her through its branches. Once they were under the tree's boughs, Lucy finally let his hand go. Three trunks curled around each other, and then split off with many boughs gracefully falling in a complete circle around them. There was no break in the leaves, cutting them off from the outside world. Lucy felt her legs buckle again, but Natsu was there to catch her this time.

"Lucy, what's wrong?"

He'd caught her from behind, so he couldn't see her face. Lucy desperately tried to tuck her thoughts away. She needed time to process, and now wasn't the time. It was already obvious Natsu couldn't help, so she needed to wait to try and figure out what the connections to her dreams were.

"Sorry, guess I'm just tired. I haven't eaten yet, so I don't have a lot of energy," she lied. Pulling away from him, she turned in a circle to study the tree again. "I like this place. What do you think about meeting here?"

Natsu looked at her closely, but she was smiling so he assumed she must be fine. "I like it," he said. "I don't think we're too far from your home, if I'm smelling it right."

"Good, it's settled." Lucy swallowed past the lump still in her throat. "Shall we then? I don't want you to stay out here too long, you still have to hunt."

Natsu shrugged. "I'd be okay if I missed a night."

She sighed as she grabbed his hand to lead him out of the enclosed space. "I won't have you going hungry because of me. Once I'm back in the maze, I'll be safe, I promise. Then you can leave."

He grunted as he moved to walk at her side, continuing to keep a vigil while they walked. After a moment, he looked at her. "So what do you usually do during the night?"

"Sleep," she answered with a knowing smile.

He rolled his eyes. "Alright, what do you do during the day, then?"

"You don't really want to know. It's pretty boring."

"Well then, what do you do for fun?"

Before she could respond, she felt a prickling on the back of her neck and a sudden, intense fear for Natsu. She looked around, her hand subconsciously moving to her keyring. Natsu noticed when she tensed. "What's wrong?"

Before she could question her actions, she instinctively flung her keys up. They stopped in the air and began to spin, creating a shield of light. A second later, an arrow thunked into it and then fell to the ground.

Natsu moved before she could blink, but she felt the wind he left behind as he headed in the direction the arrow had come from. She didn't question her actions, she just ran off after him. "Don't kill them!" she yelled as she heard a loud grunt. When she finally caught up to him, Natsu was standing over a prone figure. She recognized him as one of the guards from the palace. "Oh no."

"I didn't kill him," Natsu said. "Just knocked him out." As his stomach growled, Natsu frowned and took a couple steps away.

She kneeled at his side. The helm the guard wore was caved in one side, an obvious fist mark in the dent. "I can't believe anyone is out here. Father must be really desperate to send people into these woods."

"Is he going to be a problem?" Natsu asked.

"You did hit him in the head," she said. "If we're lucky, maybe he'll forget he saw us. Help me get his helmet off."

They wiggled it off and then she checked his head. There was a small lump forming where he had been hit, but he was still breathing. She sighed as she sat back. "This isn't good."

The man grunted and slowly blinked. Lucy froze as he stared up at her. "Princess? When did you get back?" Before she could answer, Natsu's foot connected with the side of the man's head and he passed out again.


	17. Home

**I found time to write guys! I hope everyone enjoyed the last bit. Happy New Year to everyone, if I don't see you before then.**

 **I own only the plot of this story.**

"Natsu! What are you doing?!" The guard was out cold again but still breathing. "Why did you kick him?"

"He woke up. What was I supposed to do?"

"I don't know, but you didn't have to start with violence. If you keep hitting him in the head, you're going to do lasting damage. Just stop hurting him!"

"Alright, if you say so." He crossed his arms and looked around. "So what's the plan?"

Lucy sighed as she pushed her hair out of her face. "I think we need to bring him closer to the grounds so he can be found tonight. He didn't seem to remember seeing me when he woke up, and as long as that continues, we should be okay. Even if he does, I don't feel okay with leaving him out here on his own like this."

"Alright, guess he's coming with us then." Natsu leaned down and threw the guard over his shoulder as Lucy picked up his helmet. "Shall we?" he asked as he held out his hand.

Lucy sighed but took his hand. He didn't seem at all bothered about the fact that he was carrying a full grown man, fully decked out in armor plating, as he continued to walk with her. Except for the slight twist to his mouth when his stomach growled especially loud, she'd almost think that he'd forgotten he was carrying the man.

Natsu kept his nose open for anything strange while they walked. He could smell the trails from a few other people in the area as they got closer. Lucy pulled him to a stop just as he saw the change in greenery they were looking for. "How much farther?" she asked.

"Not far, I can see the hedges from here."

"Alright, I think we should leave him here then," she said as she looked around.

Natsu set the man on the ground in a relatively clear spot. "Are you sure they'll find him out here?"

"I don't know, but if I'm going to-"

Natsu grabbed her mid-sentence and pulled her behind a tree. He tucked her up against the bark and surrounded her with his body as he lifted his nose and sniffed. "There are others around here." He continued to smell the air as he looked around. "Two people, I think."

Once again, she was back in a dream, her pink haired suitor pushing her up against the gazebo as he kissed her. Lucy tried to ignore the butterflies in her stomach and the quickening beats of her heart as his words sank in. "We need to get into the maze before they find us."

"Leave it to me." Before she could do anything, he flung her over his shoulder and started to move. He kept to the shadows and dodged behind bigger trees, reaching the hedge just as the two guards started shouting.

"That way, Natsu," Lucy said, pointing to the entrance of the maze, trying to breath around the shoulder lodged in her stomach. He quickly made his way into the maze, but before he could go too far, Lucy wiggled out of his grasp. "If you're not careful, you're going to get lost in here. I know my way around, but you should probably leave."

Natsu's heart began to beat harder as he looked down at her. He tried once more to come up with some plan to keep her with him, even though he knew it wouldn't work. She looked worried and a little tense, but he could also sense that she was glad to be home. This was where she belonged, not hidden in his cold, dark cave. The part of him that didn't want her to go refused to be ignored and, although he didn't know why he did it, he quickly moved forward and put his arms around her.

Lucy grunted as Natsu's arms engulfed and then squeezed her. She struggled to breathe as the dragon crushed her ribs. "Natsu… can't breathe…" she wheezed.

He immediately let go, his cheeks blooming as he scratched his head. "I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to hurt you. I, uh, I'm not sure what I was trying to do. I just, uh, ah, it felt right. I wasn't going to grab you and take you back or anything. I'm sorry, I don't know what I did."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Natsu, it was a hug, I know you weren't trying to take me anywhere."

"Yeah, yeah, a hug. That's it." He scratched his head some more. "What's a hug again?"

"You know about celestial wizards, but don't know what a hug is?" Lucy mused.

"I guess?"

She smiled up at him. "A hug is a way of showing affection for someone. It can also be used to comfort someone or celebrate or many other things. While it can be one-sided, both parties usually participate, like this." Lucy stepped back up to him and put his arms around her waist before putting hers around his neck, standing on tiptoe to reach, and then leaning into him. "Then you squeeze, but nicely."

As Natsu returned the hug, he couldn't help but smile as he dug his nose in her hair. "Is it okay for us to do this?" he asked.

"It's weird for strangers to do it, but it's normal between family and friends." Natsu felt her twitch slightly in his arms when he audibly breathed in her scent. "It is weird to smell them, though."

"Oh."

She smiled a little as she felt his shoulders droop. "I think I'm okay with it, though, if it makes you happy." He perked up at her response and buried his nose in her hair again.

When Natsu still hadn't let go several long moments later, Lucy started to get uncomfortable as her legs started to burn from holding herself up. "Natsu, are you going to let me go? My legs are starting to hurt." He squeezed her too tight again before he finally released her. Natsu stepped back as she tried to get her breath back.

Lucy was finally home, and instead of feeling excited about it, she found that she was more worried about leaving Natsu alone. His shoulders had drooped again, his arms were crossed and he was staring at the ground.

"Natsu?"

It only lasted a moment, though. When she said his name, he met her eyes again, but he had a huge smile on his face. "I'm really glad we're going to be friends, Lucy."

She smiled back as he took her hand to squeeze it. "I'm glad, too."

"So I'll see you tomorrow night then?"

"Probably not. Give me a couple nights, okay?"

His smile didn't even waver as he nodded. "Okay."

 _Okay? That's it? He was upset a minute ago…_ She followed him as he moved back to the exit of the maze. When he seemed sure no one was near, he looked at her one more time, still smiling. "See you soon, Lucy."

"Hopefully." Before she could stop herself, she moved forward to grab his hand. When he met her eyes again, she smiled as she squeezed his hand. "Thank you for saving me."

"Any time!" Then he was gone. Lucy made her way leisurely to the middle of the maze. She had a bad feeling that she couldn't quite shake.

When the sky started to lighten hours later, she found herself hungry, confused, nervous, and a bit overwhelmed. So much had happened and there was so much to think about, she was still having trouble piecing things together. She had so many questions, primarily about the connection between her new dragon friend and her dreams. That thought had also started banging around in her head, making her realize being captured had seriously messed with her. _She had a new friend… who was a dragon…_ and it had taken her _no time at all_ to become accustomed to it. There had to be some sort of psychological reasoning behind that and she planned on figuring it out later.

The mystery of her kidnapping was a taking up a lot of her thinking time as well. Who had wanted her and for what purpose? She didn't have any information on the latter that her father didn't have, so she decided to leave that mystery to him. The former she was going to have to figure out on her own if she wanted to keep her secret.

Knowing that she would be found in a few hours, she decided that she might as well try to sleep. Her dress was chilly without her petticoats, but she eventually got comfortable between a couple denser bushes to keep warm.

The sun had barely risen when there was shouting from the maze.

Their princess was back.


	18. Friends and Shared Secrets

**Happy New Year everyone. I wish the best for all of you and hope the new year brings you fun, happiness, love, and many great memories.**

 **I own only the plot of this story.**

After getting cleaned up and seeing the royal family's physician, Lucy was given a relatively clean bill of health and ordered to eat and rest for a few days. After that, she joined her father for breakfast, where he was strangely attentive to his daughter for the first time in months. Before they could finish their meal, there was a commotion at the front door. The king was halfway out of his seat when two people burst into the room and simultaneously shouted Lucy's name. She smiled and managed to stand before they both threw themselves around her.

"Lu, I was so worried about you!" Levy was the daughter of her father's closest advisor, and had been her friend since they were babies together. She had her face buried in Lucy's shoulder, tears streaming down her face, cheeks red as she cried. Her blue hair was pulled back in its usual headband, but it was messier than usual and her reading glasses were askew where they sat on top of her head.

"What the hell happened out there, Lucy? That bastard that tried to kidnap you has some serious punishment coming," came the gruff voice from the man. Gray was the son of her father's deceased best friend, the former king of Bosco, who had also grown up with her. His black hair was even messier than usual, and she caught a glimpse of dark circles under his eyes before he pulled them both girls close and rested his chin on her head.

"Language," her father scolded Gray.

"Sorry, your majesty," he apologized.

"I'm sorry I worried you guys. I'm really glad to see you both, but what are you doing here?" Lucy asked.

They both pulled back in shock. "You were kidnapped! We came to try and help," Levy answered.

"Yeah, I brought every spare soldier I could down here to help with the search. Where were you? We didn't find a single clue anywhere!"

"King Fullbuster," her father said from his chair. "Perhaps you wouldn't mind waiting until my daughter has finished her breakfast to ask questions? The physician said that she is malnourished and needs to eat."

"Of course, I apologize," Gray said with a nod. They both stepped away, but Lucy caught their hands.

"Father, would it be alright if they joined us? I would really enjoy the company."

The king looked at her, and, in a rare moment of leniency, accepted. He finished eating as more plates and food were brought. As the table was set up for the new arrivals, he made his goodbyes, leaving the friends to finish their breakfast together.

As soon as the king was out of earshot and the servants had left, Lucy's friends both rounded on her. "Alright Lucy, what the hell happened?" Gray demanded.

Lucy avoided looking into their eyes as she answered. These were her two best friends in the whole world, and if anyone was going to figure out she was lying, it was them. "I don't know. I was showing the man who came in Duke Everlue's place the maze and then he knocked me out with magic before I could do anything to protect myself.

"I remember coming around a few times so he could give me food and water, but he knocked me out again right away after that. Then I woke up this morning in the maze when the gardener found me. I have no idea how I got back here."

"Lu, are you sure you didn't see anything at all?" Levy asked. "Do you know where you were being kept? Do you remember being in a building or a cave or anything?"

Images of Natsu's cave and the forest rose in her mind, but she ignored them. "I remember seeing trees, but that's it." That much was true. When she'd been woken up, her vision had been blurry. The only thing she'd been able to discern of her surroundings had been the blue sky and the dense green surrounding them.

Gray continued to look angry. "I'm going to find whoever is after you Lucy, I promise. I will get revenge for you."

"Don't do anything crazy," Lucy said as she grabbed Gray's arm. "You're a king now, you have to set a good example for your people."

The reminder seemed to mollify him a bit. "I still forget about that sometimes."

"It's okay." Lucy smiled as she took her hand away to continue eating. "You wouldn't be the same Gray if you didn't pledge to avenge me."

"It's what friends are for, right?" he asked.

"Absolutely," Levy answered with a smile.

After they finished eating, Gray said his goodbyes to the king and his two friends, promising to return for a visit soon. He had put a lot of work on hold to come down to help with the search and he needed to get back and tend to his country's affairs again. After another long hug for both Lucy and Levy, he made his way out as the king left for a meeting with his advisors. Shortly after, the girls found themselves comfortably seated in the library with tea.

"So when are you heading back home?" Lucy asked.

"Father has been busy with the search for your kidnapper, so he told me I can stay at the house in town until that's wrapped up if I'd like. There's not a lot going on back home right now, and your father even said he was okay with me staying in the castle if I'd like." She leaned a little into the cushions of the couch they were seated on. "I'll stay as long as you'd like to have me around. You seem okay, but you were kidnapped and magically drugged." Her eyebrows started to scrunch up as she studied her friend with a worried expression. "That must have taken its toll on you. I want to be here for you, but if you need space, just say the word."

"I'd love to have you around, Levy, you know that." Having her book loving friend around could actually be beneficial. The beginning of a plan started formulating in her mind, and before she could reconsider, she looked at Levy. "Actually, Levy, do you think you could help me with something?"

"Anything for my girl. What do you need?"

"I need help with some research."

Levy's eyes lit up. "Oooo, you know I'm always up for that. What about?"

"Well, it's about…" Lucy paused as she realized that in order to get Levy's help, she was going to have to reveal the one little tiny secret that she'd been keeping from her friend. In all the years that she'd been having the dreams about her pink haired dream man, she'd never told another soul about them. Even Levy, who knew everything there was to know about her.

She cleared her throat as Levy continued to look at her expectantly. "Well, it's actually about some dreams I've been having."

"While you were away you mean?"

"Not quite. They're dreams I've been having since I was young."

Levy squinted at her. "How young?"

"I think they started when I was about… ten?"

"What are they about?"

"A man."

"Who?"

"I don't know, I don't ever remember seeing him before."

"What exactly do you do in the dreams? With this man?"

"Uh, well, we uh, you know…" Lucy's face turned red as she mumbled.

" _Lucy Anna Heartfilia,_ are you telling me you've been-"

"LUCY! WHERE ARE YOU?" Before Lucy could answer, the doors to the library flew open. Erza strode in, long red hair flying behind her as she zeroed in on her apprentice.

"Erza!" Before Lucy could say or do anything else, her mentor was at her side pulling her up. She instinctively flinched before realizing that Erza wasn't wearing her armor. As her head was pulled into the hug, instead of hitting hard metal, her landing was much softer. After a moment, she was pushed back and a familiar scowl appeared on her face. "How on earth were you not able to defend yourself? Did you forget your keys? You _know_ you're suppose to keep them on you at _all_ times!"

Lucy tried to quiet her, tried to make her stop talking, but Erza was like a runaway train when she was like this- no one and nothing could stop her.

"Give me _one_ good reason I shouldn't punish you at our next magic lesson."

Lucy felt her stomach drop as Levy moved to stand next to her.

" _Magic_ lesson?"

Erza's face was almost as bright as her hair as she looked down at Levy. "It's a, uh, figure of speech. An inside joke, nothing more, I assure you."

Levy pulled Lucy's arm so that she was forced to meet her friend's eyes. "Levy, I can explain."

"You'd better! We're best friends! Why am I only _just now_ learning that you're a wizard? _And_ that you've been having dirty dreams about some mystery man!"


	19. A Chance to Reflect

**Ugh, guys, I just finished what is quite probably my** _ **favorite**_ **fanfic on this website. Any Soul Eater fans on here? I** _ **highly**_ **recommend you check out** **Rising Stars and Full Circles** **by FourthDistraction. It is well witten, it has a great plotline, and it's a completed series. (I have gotten hooked on too many that were just abandoned or forgotten.) Guys it is** _ **so good**_ **, go check it out. I do not know the author so I am under no obligation to sell it to you, I just think it deserves as much love as possible.**

 **That being said, I hope you'll come back to read mine once you're done. I have a lot of anxiety about sharing my work, which is funny considering I have a project in the works that I hope to someday get published. Because of that, it's hard for me to suggest a good read when I know my own has been suffering from what life has been throwing at me. I'm not sharing this for pity, just want you to know where I'm at.** _ **That**_ **is how good I believe the story is, enough that I can ignore the little part of me that doesn't want to share my readers. (You don't mind if I call you my readers, do you?)**

 **That's all I have for now. Thank you everyone for the follows, favorites and reviews. They mean more than I can put into words.**

 **I own only the plot of this story.**

As Lucy entered her room for the night, her shoulders slumped as she shut the door. The entire day had been so emotionally draining, all she wanted to do was fall into her bed and sleep. She stopped at her bedside table and carefully hid her keys back in their box before taking off her dress. It was difficult to do on her own, but she was so tired of people, she'd sent her maids away for the evening. Eventually, she removed the gown and pulled on her sleep clothes. The evening breeze was warm, so she put on one of her shorter nightgowns without sleeves. After blowing out most of her candles, she moved towards her balcony.

She pulled one of her chairs over so that she could sit and watch the stars. Despite the exhaustion tugging at her body, her mind was still whirling. After Erza's outburst in front of Levy, she'd been forced to share her deepest secret with her friend, despite the promise she'd made to her mother. _Well,_ Lucy mused, _my second deepest secret, now_. Although the list was short, there were people who knew about her magic. No one knew about her new friend, and _that_ was a secret she would have to take to her grave. Levy had, of course, promised not to tell anyone. Lucy trusted Levy more than almost anyone else, so she knew her secret was safe.

The conversation about her dreams had been harder to navigate. Once Erza had learned about them, she'd been just as upset as Levy that she'd been left in the dark. While Erza was older and had been her magic teacher for years, they had definitely formed a close friendship of their own. Both had felt as though she'd been lying to them in some way by not telling them. Then they had bonded over their ability to guilt and pry the dreams out of Lucy. It had felt like the slumber parties she'd had so long ago, where the girls would poke and prod to get each other to spill who they had a crush on. After each reveal, Erza and Levy had demanded more and more, wanting all the dirty little details. She'd done her best to keep the conversation clean and not let too much slip, but they had held on to every word anyway.

After expressing her interest in learning the potential meanings of her dreams, Levy had jumped right in to research mode, starting to search through the library for the appropriate material. Both had expressed their concern over the dreams not being normal. They were more numerous and detailed than any recurring dreams they had ever had themselves. By the time lunch had rolled around, the library floor had been taken over by dozens of books as the three had looked through them, combing them for anything that might help.

Lucy sighed as she pulled a light blanket over her lap and she looked up at the stars. She was almost certain that she'd managed to get their help without giving away what her true intentions were. Levy had probed a little harder than usual, as though she sensed that their was more to this problem than Lucy was letting on. For the time being, however, she seemed content to go along with it.

After having lunch with the two, her father had taken her to speak with the investigator in charge of the search for her kidnapper. She'd given him all the information she could remember from her time with the man and pretended she had no idea why she'd ended up in the maze. She'd suggested that perhaps someone had found out what was happening and rescued her. They had pointed out that there was a reward for her return, making such a rescue seem implausible. She had shrugged, then asked to be excused so she could rest. The rest of the afternoon had been uneventful, since Erza had left and Levy had gone back to her own house to scour their library.

Lucy stared at the moon as it shined bright above her, making the gardens and forest beyond glow. As she stared at the woods, she started thinking about a specific tree, it's trunks wrapping around each other surrounded by a cascade of green. In her mind's eye, she could see it as it was in her dreams and how it had looked the night prior. There was no doubt it was the same tree, but she'd never been in the Dark Woods in her entire life. She had never seen the tree before and yet it had shown up in her dreams. What was it Natsu had said? _I know a lot about things I've never seen before. I think it's inherited knowledge from my parents._ Was it possible for that to happen to humans? She had never heard of it before, but that didn't mean it couldn't exist. The world was filled with magic, so anything could be possible.

However, that still wouldn't explain the dreams about Natsu. She'd never heard any stories about her family that aligned with the dreams she'd had. Her mother had always been open with her about the family's stories, passing on several scandalous ones that had been removed from all record by prior generations. A runaway suitor seemed like the type of story that would have been passed down that way. It was possible that she hadn't heard all of the stories prior to her mother's passing, but she didn't think that was the case.

Unfortunately, none of that mattered much when Natsu couldn't go out in the sunlight. Most of her dreams had happened during the day, and since she believed that he hadn't lied to her, that meant it wasn't him in the dreams. Maybe it had been his father? It would make sense that both of his parents had also been able to transform into people, but why would a dragon bother to court a princess? Assuming he hadn't been afflicted by the same problems with the sun, what could he have gained?

Lucy quickly dismissed that possibility. The man in her dreams had looked _exactly_ like Natsu. She couldn't fathom a way that anyone could look exactly like one parent without any of the other mixed in. Besides that, she had the strongest belief, deep in her soul, that it _was_ Natsu. It was there in the way he said certain things, the way he focused on her when he spoke, the way he moved. The way he smiled…

Her face heated as she thought of some of her more physical dreams. Even though they were only dreams, she could feel on her body how it had felt to be held and touched by her Dream Natsu, as she'd taken to calling him. He'd always been so careful with her, no matter what they were doing in the dreams. She could feel it now, his hand on hers as it rested in the crook of his arm while they walked through the gardens. One hand holding hers and the other resting on her hip as they danced. Holding her hand out of sight as they drank tea together. The heat of his body pressed to hers as held her face to kiss her.

Lucy sighed. Well, she could feel most of the dreams. Her inexperience in certain areas caused her dreams to feel incomplete in the light of day. She'd never kissed anyone before, so her waking dreams were a little less detailed than she'd like. While she could feel the kisses in her dreams, upon waking, she found that that feeling eluded her.

She stood, pulling the blanket around herself to hang from her elbows. Vaguely, she realized she felt a little sad that she wasn't out hunting with Natsu tonight. Despite being a prisoner, she had enjoyed the flights much more than she probably should have. She'd never had a reason to test whether she had a fear of heights, but now she could safely say that she didn't seem affected by such things.

As she grabbed the chair to put it back, she felt a tingle on the back of her neck. Something in her perked up expectantly and her senses focused outward, trying to find whatever had gotten her attention. As she searched for something out of place, she realized that a part of her was _excited_. It was at odds with the niggling of fear that the had cropped up with the sudden awareness.

She took a slow step out onto the balcony, sweeping her eyes across the grounds. Another step as she scanned the edges of the garden that she could see from her room. A third step as she looked at the other gazebo and towards the roof of the castle. As she looked up, a shadow moved in her peripheral and she was suddenly back in her room pressed against a warm body with a hand firmly over her mouth.

 _Not again_ , she thought.


	20. Dragon in my Bed

**Hello readers! Wanted to quickly address a review before we hop in. Ikrani had a great question about how Gray addressed Jude in Chapter 18. I actually spent some time trying to find the appropriate way for them to do so, but a lot of what I found wasn't super helpful. The stuff that** _ **was**_ **seemed to be dependant on how familiar the monarchs are. I chose 'your majesty' because that seemed to fit the best and it was one of the few suggested forms I could find. I don't think he would be super formal unless they were at some sort of event. I probably won't delve into their past much, but Gray grew up around Jude, plus Jude was his father's best friend. Between the seniority and respect, I think Gray would be a little informal around the other king in most instances. Not to mention, Gray is still pretty new to the title. (In my AU, his dad has only been dead for a couple months.) I'm not sure if it was the best form to choose, but it's the one I'm sticking with for now. Hope that helps!**

 **As always, thank you guys for your support. It means the world to me.**

 **I own only the plot of this story.**

Lucy's first instinct was to fight back. Her arms were free so she moved her arm forward and swung her elbow back as hard as she could. The answering grunt was satisfying, but the grip on her didn't loosen. Before she could do it again, there was a quiet voice in her ear. "Lucy, settle down _._ "

The adrenaline coursing through her body mixed with the sudden relief, and then anger, as she pulled at his hand. He loosened his grip enough that she was able to hiss back. " _Natsu?_ " He nodded next to her head as he loosened his grip some more. "What are you doing here?" she whispered.

"I wanted to see you."

She thought back to just before he left the maze, the giant smile he'd given her so soon after expressing how unhappy he was about not seeing her for a while. "You never intended to wait for a visit, did you?" Her tone was accusatory.

Natsu avoided her eyes as he scanned her room. "I like your room."

"Don't change the subject."

"Alright, fine. I just… I didn't want to wait to see you again. I knew you would say no if I suggested sneaking in, so I didn't ask. I was hoping if I could prove to you that I can get in without being seen you'd let me keep doing it." As he spied her bed, he moved forward and jumped into it.

"What are you doing?" she asked, distracted.

There was a loud sigh from somewhere in her blankets. "Wow, this bed is amazing. I'm surprised you could sleep on that thing in my cave if this is what you're use to."

She moved forward, causing the blanket she had wrapped around herself to fall, forgotten. As it landed on her feet, she remembered what she was wearing. Her cheeks heated and she tried desperately to remind herself that Natsu was a dragon, and as such, had no sexual interest in a human. Still, she leaned down to pick up the blanket and wrapped it around herself again as she moved towards him.

"Natsu, you can't be in here."

"Why not?" He poked his head out from under the blankets.

"Because it's the middle of the night and you're in my bedroom. Not to mention that you're you and if anyone catches on to who you are, _they will try to kill you_."

He scoffed. "I'm like a ninja, they'll never even know I'm here." Then he buried into her covers again. "I've never been on something so soft!"

Lucy glanced at the door at the other end of the room, hoping they were being quiet enough in case someone walked by. She leaned forward to pull the covers off Natsu's head. "Alright, you can stay for a while, but you _have_ to be quiet."

"Like I said, I'm a ninja!"

"Sure you are." After settling on the corner of her bed, she moved the blanket she held to make sure she was covered. "So now that you're here, what do you want to do?"

"Spend time with you. Isn't that obvious?" He perked up and left the bed to move towards her bookshelf. He pulled a small box down. "What's this?"

"A jewelry box my mother gave me."

He put it back down, then pulled down a small glass jar filled with a white powder. "What's this?"

"Sand from a trip I took to the beach with my parents as a kid."

After he replaced the jar, he moved towards her wardrobe and pulled it open. "What's this?" They did that for some time, Lucy answering his questions in a tired voice. Once he started digging into her vanity, she changed the subject.

"Natsu, did you eat before you came?"

"Of course. I saved a couple deer from last night so I could eat on the way. They spoil if they're left out too long, so I cooked them like you did so they would last. I prefer raw, but they weren't too bad that way." He pulled her hairbrush out of its box to study it.

"I'm glad you listened to _some_ of what I said."

His eyebrows furrowed together. "Are you mad at me, Lucy?"

Lucy contemplated her answer for a second before going with honesty. "A little."

Natsu frowned, her brush forgotten as his shoulders drooped. "I thought you'd be happy to see me."

"I am, it's just…" She struggled to find the words. "It's been a really busy day and I could use a couple days to get back into my routine. The shift from sleeping during the day back to night is hard enough, but I've also been dealing with the inspector and people who missed me while I was gone and my father…

"I am happy to see you, but I don't have the energy to keep entertaining people. I need to rest."

"So don't entertain me," he said simply. "You don't have to talk if you don't want to. I just want to be around you." The smile he gave her was wide and genuine.

She rubbed her face with both hands causing her blanket to slip just a little bit. "Natsu-"

"I've got it!" He dashed over and started fixing the blankets. "How about if we just lay here until you fall asleep? We can talk or just sit or whatever, and after you fall asleep, I'll just sneak back out."

He looked so hopeful she didn't have the heart to say no. If she was honest with herself, she had to admit the prospect of falling asleep with his warmth next to her was very appealing. Her mind briefly reminded her that this was Natsu, the dragon who had saved her and then kept her for himself for a time, and not Dream Natsu, who wooed her. Stubbornly, she pointed out to no one in particular that she'd had sleepovers with Levy like this more than once. She just liked having someone around while she slept, there was nothing weird about it.

Nodding at Natsu, she moved to the side of the bed to sit down. After double checking that her keys were safe, she slid under the blankets and dropped the blanket she'd had around her on the floor. "Natsu, if you hear anyone trying to come into the room, promise me you will hide before they get in here."

"I promise. I honestly don't think they're coming in, though."

She rolled over to face him. "Who are you talking about?"

"The people outside the door. Who were _you_ talking about?"

Natsu watched her eyes widen as she lowered her voice even more. "There are people out there?"

"You said you were going to be super guarded now, didn't you? I assumed that was who was out there." He realized he had lowered his voice some more to match her volume.

"How do you know anyone is there?" She realized she knew the answer before he opened his mouth.

"I can hear them. I could smell them a little before, but right now all I smell is you." He buried his face in one of her pillows as she breathed deeply. "Stardust," he exhaled with another big grin.

 _There are guards outside my door and a dragon in my bed._ She would laugh if she wasn't suddenly terrified of being caught.


	21. Let's Get Down to Business

**I assume everyone has figured out that I'm not using the map from Fairy Tail for this story, but in case anyone is wondering, I'm not. I'm using the names of some of the countries, but in my version, Fiore is surrounded on three sides by other countries and the Dark Woods with the sea on the west coast.**

 **And yes, I did borrow the title for this chapter from a song in my favorite Disney movie.**

 **I own only the plot of this story.**

Lucy was dying, she was sure of it. It was too bright, too loud in the castle. The maids were cleaning, the guards were talking, lacrama were lit up all over the hall and there was just so much _walking_ going on. Did people never just stand still and relax?

After Natsu's visit the night before, she had slept terribly, waking up constantly to make sure he wasn't still in her room. True to his word, he hadn't demanded anything from her. He had merely laid in her bed with her, talking when she would talk, staying silent when she wouldn't. Eventually she had nodded off, after stealthily moving closer to be next to his warmth. Her unconscious mind, however, had not been convinced that he'd left since she hadn't seen it for herself.

She hadn't been able to fall into a fitful sleep until the sun rose, and then her maids had woken her up just as she'd fallen asleep to get ready for the day. The guard behind her said nothing as he followed her down to the dining room. He was her favorite guard, even though she wasn't allowed to play favorites. Bickslow was an odd one among the otherwise lackluster guards at the palace. They were all nice enough, followed orders, and didn't get underfoot. Then there was Bickslow, who did his job well, but didn't hide his personality behind his suit of armor. He told her jokes as they walked through the halls, shared gossip about the staff, offered to do little tasks for her without her asking, and when she would ask, he liked to give her a little grief before going to do them with a smile. On the night she'd been taken, he had helped smooth her entrance into the room her father and her kidnapper had been arguing. None of the other guards would have thought twice about interfering, but he had done so to help her.

Right now, however, all she could think about was how _loud_ his footsteps and breathing were, how much she wanted to shoo him away and go back to bed. Unfortunately, her father had decided that one day of rest, such as it had been, was enough before she needed to return to her lessons. She knew that wasn't Bickslow's fault, so she ignored her urges and continued on toward the dining room. She needed coffee, bad.

Suddenly, Lucy realized Bickslow hadn't said anything since she left her room. By now they would usually be deep in conversation about something around the castle or about her schedule for the day. Instead he followed her, silent except for his footsteps and the shifting of his armor. As they turned down an empty hallway, she paused and turned towards him. "Do I look as awful as I feel?"

He only paused for a moment before he grinned at her. "Depends. How awful do you feel?"

"Pretty awful."

"I'd say about half that, then." She scoffed. "Tired and a little grumpy, but you're beautiful as always, princess."

"Flatterer," she said as she turned back and continued to walk, somehow feeling better.

"You know me better than that."

She smiled, feeling less grumpy as she made it to the dining room. _Maybe this day won't be so bad,_ she thought as the guard at the door opened it for her. Her back stiffened as she paused; Bickslow was sure he heard her mutter an expletive. Surprised, he looked over her shoulder and saw the reason for her distress.

"Good morning, daughter." The king and his guest rose to their feet as she entered. Bickslow moved to his post with a muttered good luck as she straightened her spine.

"Good morning, father. I'm sorry, I didn't know we had a guest or I would have chosen a better dress." She moved towards the seat across from the man.

"It's not a problem. May I present Prince Laxus Dreyar of Isenberg? Prince Laxus, this is my daughter, Princess Lucy Heartfilia." He rose to greet her, a bored look on his face as he bowed to her before taking his seat again.

 _I just wanted some coffee and some quiet…_ she thought to herself as she put on her best smile.

* * *

The doors closed behind her as Lucy entered the library and, finally, she allowed her shoulders to slump. That had been the worst breakfast she'd ever had. Her father had spoken highly of the man she'd introduced her to, but the man himself had said very little. He had looked interested in her, at least physically, but he hadn't tried to get to know her at all. Her father had asked his questions, but the interrogation had been much shorter than many of the others. Fiore had been trading with Isenberg for years so her father knew plenty about the country.

Erza stood looking out a window, her hands clasped behind her back. "You're late."

"I apologize. My father had a suitor join us for breakfast so it went longer than usual."

Her mentor whirled, an eyebrow raised. "Already? You've only been home one day, and they haven't figured out yet which country hired your kidnapper. The search for a husband should be put on hold until they do."

"You try telling him that," Lucy said with a sigh. "All I wanted was some food, some quiet, and some coffee. I barely slept, and then I had to entertain a man who barely spoke two sentences to me the entire time he was here."

"Why didn't you sleep?"

Lucy's face burned and she tried to hide it as she moved towards the couch. "I just didn't sleep well, I'm not sure why."

"Are you having nightmares? They're common after a trauma like you've had. Perhaps you should try having Lyra sing you to sleep tonight. I'm sure she could play something calming that would help."

"That's a good idea. I may try that." When she was sure her face wasn't on fire, she looked up at her. "So, what are we doing today?"

"Research!" called a voice. Lucy jerked as she looked up. The castle's library had a second level of bookshelves with a walkway all the way around the room. As she scanned the shelves, she finally noticed Levy up on one of the ladders on the far side of the room.

"Levy? What are you doing here?"

"I told you, research! I found some references in the books back in home that I knew you had books for. We're going to figure out those dreams, Lu!"

"Indeed," Erza added as she moved away from the window. "It's troubling that you've had so many of someone you've never met, especially given the state of the dreams. We intend to help you figure this out, once and for all. Your magic lessons can wait for a little while."

Levy came down the spiral staircase, her arms full of books, and made her way quickly to the middle of the library, where they had already piled a few books up. Lucy moved to sit on the couch as she noticed a pile that looked familiar. "Are those from your house, Levy?"

"Yes, those have the references I mentioned earlier." She set down the books in her arms and then stood to meet Lucy's eyes. "Before we get too far in, I just want to ask one quick thing. You've told us everything, right? The more information we have, the better chance we have of figuring out what's going on. Are you _sure_ you've told us everything you know?" Levy's gaze didn't waver as she looked into Lucy's eyes.

Lucy's eyes flickered over to Erza and back, her mind in overdrive. She thought about the tree with it's curling trunks and cascading branches, about how it existed in her dreams _and_ out in the Dark Woods. About the mage who looked like Levy, but wasn't exactly Levy. About Natsu… about the way he laughed, the way he smiled, the sound of his voice, the way he looked at her. About the carbon copy of him she'd been staring at for years before meeting him. It all flashed through her mind in the time it took for her eyes to move to Erza's and back.

"Yes, everything," she lied.


	22. The Meanings in Dreams

**Fair warning for this part, I did do some research about the meanings of dreams, however, this is an AU and they haven't necessarily spent as much time studying dreams as we have so I've taken some creative liberty. Also, I quoted some Sherlock.**

 **I think this is three parts in three days if I'm not mistaken. I'm just having a blast with this story. I don't know how many more 'chapters' there will be, but we're definitely past the midway point. It's going to start coming together soon!** **Thanks for all the love guys.**

 **I own only the plot of this story.**

Erza, Levy and Lucy each sat with a book in their lap, having found some of the references from Levy's pile she'd brought.

"So this one talks about the type of people you see in your dreams," Levy said. "From what I can tell, most people believe that every person you see in your dreams is someone you have seen at some point in your life."

"Really?" Erza asked. "All of them?"

"Yes. It's believed that when we see a face, there's a part of our brain that stores it away subconsciously and our dreaming brain uses those faces to populate our dreams. Some even think it's not possible for a brain to conjure up faces for dreams on its own, although it would be almost impossible to prove it."

"That's an interesting theory," Lucy mused as she continued to read her own book. "This one talks about repetitive dreams. Many people have repetitive dreams, apparently. There's some debate on whether the different aspects of the dreams mean different things, but there's some consistency throughout. This book says that if someone is having a reoccuring dream, it means that the dreamer has something in their life that they have not acknowledged and are stressing about."

"Well, you are stressed," Erza said, "but your dreams started well before you were kidnapped."

Levy leaned over Lucy's shoulder to scan the pages. "This part here about people says that dreaming about a specific person might not be literal. He or she might just symbolize a certain stress or anxiety you're going through." Levy squinted at her. "I have no idea how a man with pink hair could symbolize any stress you've ever had." She lowered her voice. "Your dad is the only thing that's ever really stressed you out and I can't imagine that somehow being symbolized by pink hair."

Erza laughed quietly as Lucy raised an eyebrow. "That definitely seems like a leap to me."

"Oh wait, there's a book here somewhere that's suppose to tell you what different things in your dreams could mean. Maybe, if we assess your dream man based on his parts rather than the whole, we can figure it out!"

Lucy sighed as Erza moved to sit next to Levy, her notes in hand. She tuned them out as she stood and walked towards the big window overlooking the gardens. Nothing they had looked through so far had been of any help and she disparaged at them finding anything without her telling them about her dragon secret.

What was that quote she'd read when she was younger? 'When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.' Maybe if she applied that theory, she could come to some sort of conclusion that actually made sense.

Fact one, she started dreaming about him years ago. It had started around the time that her former friend Gajeel use to visit. His father had joined the king's council after moving to Fiore, followed by rumors that he tended to move from country to country often. Gajeel had never been particularly friendly, but he hadn't been mean either. She had always assumed he'd just avoided making friends since he'd always ended up leaving them. He'd been around for two years before his father had decided to move on again. Based on that timeline, she had been nine or ten when the dreams first started.

Fact two, Natsu couldn't go out in the sunlight, so she'd never seen him before. She could count on one hand the number of times she'd been out in town when the sun was down. Her father had always been very protective of her and strict about her curfew. Even if he _had_ been in town at night, she wouldn't have seen him. Not to mention, he had said he didn't visit towns.

Fact three, the person in her dreams looked _exactly_ like Natsu. Unlike the mage, who only looked mostly like Levy, Dream Natsu was a carbon copy of real life Natsu. His personality was a little different, but the rest was the same.

Fact four, she realized suddenly, she was different in the dreams. She'd glimpsed herself in a mirror a few times and she was very similar, same as Levy, but it wasn't her. Her hair was always much longer and the eye color was a little off, not to mention the overall face shape was a little rounder than her own.

Fact five, she had noticed they had some sort of danger sense for each other. The night she and Natsu had argued and she'd been eating on her own, he'd come back _specifically_ to protect her. She hadn't noticed it right away, but he'd been searching for a problem as soon as he'd landed. He hadn't known what it was, but he had known she was in danger and had come back to protect her. Similarly, she had gotten the feeling he was in trouble just before the guard had shot at him in the woods. It had been purely instinct to put up the shield to protect him. She had never had such a feeling before so it had to mean they were connected in some way, didn't it?

Fact six… _she could feel in her bones that it was him in the dreams_. That wasn't really a fact, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she was right.

They had never met, but they had some sort of connection, probably through a family member considering the resemblance to who she was in the dreams. Lucy decided that the most logical explanation had to be that her dreams were memories. Whether they were passed on through the family or not, she couldn't be sure, but there was some sort of bond between her and Natsu and she was determined to figure out why it was there. Also, if it really was Natsu in the dreams, that had to mean that at some point, magic had been used to change his form and alter his memories. The question there was why it had happened and what she could do about it to fix it.

She thought back to how Dream Natsu had acted in her dreams. It was obvious he had been in love with the woman she was in her dreams. It was also obvious that he hadn't been as highborn as her family. Thinking about the dream where she ended up in the woods, she realized that someone in the family must have done something to force him to go away, probably the same incident that caused his transformation and cost him his memories.

It was such a strange punishment, but she supposed it was effective in a way. However, there had to have been cleaner ways to get him out of the picture, if that was the intended result. She had never met her grandfather, but if her father was any indication of how her forefathers had acted, she would not be surprised if that was what had happened. Lucy closed her eyes, remembering.

 _They walked together out of the castle, two guards close behind._

" _I'm sorry," she whispered as she kept her eyes on her feet._

 _Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him turn sharply towards her. "What are you apologizing for?"_

" _My father. He didn't have to be so rude-"_

" _Hey." He took both of her hands in his, stopping her. She continued to stare at her feet as he tried to catch her eye. "My love, you have nothing to apologize for. You are not responsible for how he behaves. I know he doesn't think I'm good enough for you, so I knew something like this would happen eventually."  
When she continued to avoid his gaze, he kneeled in front of her, surprising her. _

_Her eyes shot up to meet his. He studied her eyes as she drank in the sight of him, so handsome with his spiky hair, those dark, dark eyes and his clothes, as usual, casually disarrayed. The smile he was giving her was tender and so full of love, she wondered again if they should just sneak away in the night and never come back. Natsu was talented in so many ways, she didn't doubt he could take care of her._

 _He placed both of her hands on his face as his smile grew._

" _I know what you're thinking-"_

"Alright Lucy, so I think your dreams mean that you're hiding a truth, probably to avoid disappointment, but there's something about the truth that is passionate and happy. You'll be successful, but overall it's a bad idea. Oh, and you have nice friends!" Levy's voice behind pulled her out of her reverie.

Lucy smiled slightly, not turning around. If that's what the books said, Natsu might actually be more helpful for once.


	23. Expected Visit, Unexpected Question

**This one is a bit longer than usual, but I love me a good cliffhanger.**

 **I own only the plot of this story.**

Two weeks after she returned home, Lucy was relaxing in the garden. She was sitting on a blanket and leaning against a tree, reading. Or at least, trying to read. Her mind wandered, as it had been doing a lot lately, to her dreams. Again, she wondered how she could broach the subject with Natsu. Lucy had mostly convinced Levy and Erza that she was okay with their explanation of the dreams. She knew Levy was still trying to find a better explanation, but she no longer talked about it as much with Lucy. Lucy wasn't sure yet if talking to Natsu would be a good idea, so for the time being they had just been hanging out, making light conversation about whatever came to mind.

Unfortunately, Lucy's father hadn't stopped searching for a husband for her. Except for the first day, there had been at least one suitor to visit the castle every day since, and she was just so tired of trying to keep them all separate. A few days prior she had tried to have a conversation about one of the men's dogs only to realize too late the one she'd been speaking to hated dogs. As princess, it was her job to be cordial and attentive, but it was so hard to keep all the information straight when she was meeting so many.

Meanwhile, the search for her would-be kidnapper was going nowhere. Obviously, no one wanted to admit to knowing anything or participating, so she was still being followed constantly be guards around the castle and she wasn't allowed to leave the grounds for any reason. Levy was still in town and could visit whenever she wanted, Erza came around for her lessons, of course, and Gray had written ahead to say he would be visiting soon. Unfortunately, they were the only company she was allowed to have, besides the neverending tide of suitors.

The breeze blew gently through the grass and the leaves rustled overhead. With Natsu's late night visits, every single night, Lucy was having trouble getting enough sleep. It was a warm day, and with the relaxing sounds of the garden around her, she felt herself slipping into sleep. Her afternoon was open, for the first time in a long time, so Lucy pulled the ends of the blanket up around her arms and got comfortable. She breathed deeply, smelling the flowers and the earth. The rustling continued, the movement of the leaves causing shafts of light to blink in and out across her eyelids. Nearby, she could have sworn she heard Bickslow laugh quietly but she didn't acknowledge it. Instead of counting sheep, she imagined Natsu's heat next to her slowly slipped into sleep.

* * *

 _She sat in the greenhouse on a stool, hidden among the plants as she listened to the rain fall outside. It was a gentle rain, the pitter patter on the ceiling and walls of the greenhouse soothing as she watched the drops splash and fall in rivers down to the ground. Occasionally, a tear would drip from her eyes and make a path down her cheek and fall from her chin, mimicking the drops outside._

 _She breathed deeply, smelling the dirt and plants around her. The rain seeped into the ground around the edges of the greenhouse, strengthening the smells inside. She loved hiding in here on rainy days, the sounds and sights relaxing her in ways nothing else could. Rain was her favorite; there was nothing she enjoyed better than watching and listening to the heavens pour down._

 _The door at the end of the building opened and closed quickly, and when she saw who had entered, she silently amended her statement; rain was now her_ second _favorite. She quickly swiped at the tears left in her eyes before she stood._

 _He pulled the cloak off and draped it over a coat rack near the door as she stood. After turning her way, he smiled and moved to meet her halfway. "Hello there."_

" _Hello yourself," she answered, a small smile on her face. As they stopped in front of each other, he pulled her to him in an embrace and she clung to him. He said nothing, merely ran his hand up and down her back as he pressed his lips to her temple. His gentleness got to her like nothing else could and she started to cry again, this time in earnest. Hot, wet tears slid down her face and dripped off her chin onto his shirt. He hadn't bothered with a vest today, so his heat seemed to seep into her even more than usual._

" _Hey," he whispered, surprise evident in his tone, "what's wrong?"_

 _She shook her head, unwilling to answer._

" _My love, I can't fix it if you don't tell me what's wrong."_

" _You can't fix it," she whispered, a fresh wave of tears filling her eyes. "No one can fix it."_

 _He pulled back to look at her, taking her face in his hands. "I would still like to try. Please, my love, tell me what's wrong. You can talk to me about anything, you know that." The sincerity in his voice, the love and concern in his eyes, undid the tenuous hold she had on her emotions and she fell to her knees as the tears came even harder._

"Princess." There was hand on her shoulder, shaking her. "Princess, you have to wake up."

Lucy's eyes flashed open. She blinked a couple times before she realized Bickslow was kneeling at her side. "What is it?"

"Your father is in the gardens looking for you. He'll be here soon." He smiled as she blinked some more and pulled her book back into her lap as he stood and returned to his post. It was a few minutes later that her father found her, a friendly face behind him.

"Gray!" Lucy quickly stood and came over to greet her friend, after kissing her father's cheek. "I'm sorry, father, I hope you don't mind that I was taking a break out here."

"That is fine," he said as he looked around at the guards. "So long as you don't go wandering off on your own, the grounds are always open to you." He stepped aside as Gray stepped forward, a strange look in his eyes.

"Is everything okay?" she asked as she hugged him. "I wasn't expecting you to visit so soon."

"Yeah, everything's great. I just got into town and I had something to discuss with your father. Since I was here, I decided that I should probably say hi to you as well." His tone was off and as Lucy studied him, her father interrupted.

"I'm sure you two would like some privacy," her father said. He also had an odd look in his eyes. Something was amiss, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what. "If you'll excuse me." Her father leaned towards the guard he passed and whispered to him, who then moved to speak to the others.

Gray ran a hand through his, as usual, unruly hair as he glanced at the guards in the clearing. "Would you mind joining me for a walk?"

"Of course," she replied. After folding up the blanket some, she picked it up, along with her book, and stood to follow him.

"Here, mind if I take that?" he asked.

"Sure." Lucy squinted at him as he took the blanket and book, handing them to a guard as they left the little area she'd been hiding in. She was concerned; he was being much more formal than usual. Even though he was a king now, he, Levy and Lucy had all agreed that they wouldn't need to act any differently with him when they weren't in public, but perhaps he had just grown use to the change in position. "You okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. Never better." As the moved into a more open area of the gardens, he glanced over towards the maze. "Have you been back in the maze since you came home?"

"Not yet," she answered. "Father hasn't wanted me to go and he's warned the guards to keep a close eye on me so I don't run off and lose them in there again."

"Well I think it's about time we fix that." He turned around to speak to the two following them. "I'll only need one of you to join us, if you don't mind."

Lucy smiled. "I appreciate the gesture Gray, but they won't-"

"I'll go," Bickslow offered and the other nodded his consent as he moved away. Gray put her hand in the crook of his arm as she sputtered.

"What's going on?" she asked, looking between her guard and Gray as she was tugged along.

"The king said it was okay for us to let you go in there today," Bickslow answered with a shrug.

"How did you manage that?" Lucy asked Gray, who also shrugged.

"I guess he figured you wouldn't run off if I was with you." They made small talk, mostly about what he'd been up to since he went back home as they made their way to, and then through, the maze. She pulled away as they made it to the center, not noticing the look that passed between Gray and Bickslow as the latter moved back behind the bushes.

"Oh, I have missed being able to come in here," she sighed as she moved towards the water fountain.

"I bet. It was always your favorite place on the palace's grounds." Gray had moved to stand at her side. "Are you okay, Lucy? I heard that you haven't been sleeping very well since you got back."

"Yeah, I'm okay," she answered without looking at him. "I just can't seem to get back into a good sleep schedule, but I'll get there, don't worry."

"Good, I'm glad that you're doing well."

"I'd be better if my father would stop his ridiculous husband hunt. Or at the very least, put it on hold for a little while." She noticed him stiffen at her side, so she put a hand on his arm. "Don't worry, I'll be okay. It's just overwhelming, having so many men brought here so I can watch father grill them in front of me."

"Yeah, I could see where that would get annoying." His voice cracked a little, but she didn't notice.

"I mean, he did give me one day to relax, so I shouldn't complain too much. I don't doubt he could have had someone here the same day I returned if he had wanted to."

Gray whispered something that sounded like 'he did,' but before she could ask him about it, he grabbed both of her hands and turned her to face him. "Lucy, I think I can help with that."

"Really?" Lucy felt hope bloom as she smiled at him. "You have no idea what I'd give for a break."

"Yeah, but I'm not sure if you're going to like it."

She snorted. "What do you mean? If you can get me a break from the suitors, I'd do just about anything."

"Anything?" he asked.

"Anything."

Gray looked down at their hands before he squared his shoulders and met her eyes again. "In that case… Lucy, will you marry me?"


	24. Answer Fit for a Royal

**Hey guys, just have a quick message before you get to the story. While I don't know how many parts are left yet, but I now I have a timeframe. I have a writing contest coming up that I have been trying to practice for but I have been reminded just how worthless I am at working at multiple projects at once. My plan is to finish up this story before then so I can focus on the contest, which means you'll be seeing the end of this within two weeks.**

 **As always, thank you guys for the favorites, follows and reviews!**

 **I own only the plot of this story.**

 _Thump._

Lucy felt her heart stutter to a stop. The wind stopped blowing, the flowers and the grass stopped swaying. The water stopped falling and the water fountain fell silent. Gray was still in front of her, his entire body still, as though he wasn't even breathing.

What had he said? She knew he'd asked a question, but for the life of her, she couldn't remember what it had been. There was a buzzing in her ears that wouldn't stop; it was making it hard to concentrate. It felt like it took forever for her heart started beating again.

 _Thump._

Everything around her started moving again, slowly, even though her heart sped up. Gray was maintaining eye contact, looking worried, hopeful, and determined.

 _Thump._

Marry him? Had he really asked her to marry him?

 _Thump._

He was Gray, one of her best friends.

 _Thump._

She loved him, of course, but she wasn't _in_ love with him.

 _Thump._

Not that she expected to be able to marry for love, but a small part of her had hoped…

 _Thump, thump._

Was she really considering this?

 _Thump, thump._

It would make the parade of eligible men stop, and she definitely cared about Gray.

 _Thump, thump. Thump, thump._

Holy cow, she was really considering this.

Gray continued to watch her as she sorted through her thoughts. He could tell she was surprised, but after a moment, the shift in her stare was unmistakable as she started to think. His palms were starting to sweat where he held hers but he didn't release her. He was afraid that if he moved, he would interrupt her, so he just stood still and waited.

When King Jude had first broached the subject of him marrying Lucy, the _same day_ she had come home, like he nothing better to focus on than a husband search, Gray had scoffed and refused to talk about it. Despite that, he'd spent a lot of time thinking about the offer. Jude had made some convincing arguments about the joining of their countries, and Gray had felt obligated to give the idea some real thought. He'd been king for less than a year, but he knew that joining the two countries could really benefit the people as a whole. There were several problems with such a feat, but he figured they could work through them together if he decided follow through with it.

Since the only Heartfilia heir was a woman, Jude's options for successors was a tricky one. After knowing the man his entire life, he knew how hard it had been for him to suggest such a thing, to suggest allowing another name take over the monarch in charge of Fiore. Gray owed him the benefit of considering the offer, after all they'd been through.

Lucy was the biggest obstacle. He knew they weren't in love, and probably never would be, but a marriage based on friendship would be easier on her than one based on credentials or assets. Gray cared about her and would always allow her to be herself, whether they were friends or spouses; he knew that not all men would be so accommodating to a woman who so often indulged in recreational activities like reading. In the end, he had decided that proposing made sense. He was willing to marry her and give her a good life, the best anyone would be able to provide. If she wasn't willing, he wouldn't take it personally. He was certain she had no affection for any of her suitors, so if she said no, he knew it would be because she feared messing up their friendship, and he could respect that.

Lucy found herself unable to speak, her tongue heavy in her mouth, her jaw unwilling to open. Her knees shook a little and she found that her legs worked, so she took a step back so she could sit on the edge of the water fountain. Gray let her hands go, moving to sit beside her as she continued to stare at the space he had occupied. He reached over and hesitantly folded his hand around one of hers, squeezing it.

"You… you want to marry me?"

He paused, unsure how to answer. "It would make sense."

Lucy's eyes finally focused and she turned to him. "I don't understand, Gray."

"Look, I know that this has been hard on you, the whole husband search thing and I know that no one you've met so far has interested you. Your father has mentioned a couple times that he thinks I should be in the running, and despite my initial reservations, I decided that maybe I should throw my hat in the ring."

Before she could respond, he continued. "Lucy, I do love you, you know that. We practically grew up together, so of course you mean the world to me. I may not be in love with you, but I care about you a lot more than any of those other men ever could. I would treat you right and always allow you to act as your own person, not try to turn you into some trophy wife or stifle you in some way. I think I could be a good husband, if you'd let me."

"Gray, marriage has never been something you wanted."

"No, it's not, but I'm a king. I have to have heirs eventually, and the idea of going through something similar to what you've been doing makes me sick to my stomach. I don't want to have to meet and greet every available woman on the continent to find a suitable wife. I think you would be a great wife and an amazing mother. I think a marriage built on mutual appreciation and friendship is about the best that royalty like us can manage. I would do right by you, I swear it."

Lucy swallowed, looking down at their joined hands. "Well, this certainly isn't how I expected my afternoon to go."

"I know," Gray said, squeezing her hand again.

After a while, she gave him a small smile. "This wasn't the most romantic proposal, you know."

He snorted. "You know I don't do romance."

"Yeah, but for a proposal? I feel like you could have tried harder."

"Well, if you say yes, maybe I could work on it."

She looked out at the flowers surrounding them, at the place where she had always done her hard thinking, where she had always come when she was emotional or confused. There was no where else that she could think she'd rather be than right here as she looked inside herself for the right answer.

Against her better judgement, she indulged in recalling her favorite dreams with her dream love. All the kisses, the embraces, the softly spoken words, and the heated looks. Despite having found Natsu, despite knowing there was some sort of connection there that she still hadn't figured out, she knew she'd never have that kind of connection for herself. No matter what the connection was, it had been between Natsu and someone in her family, not her. Royals marrying for love very rarely ever happened. If she was honest with herself, out of the many different men she'd met over the last two weeks, and the month prior to her capture, Gray was by far the best choice.

Her stomach coiled in dread at the thought of telling Natsu. Once she was married, she would no doubt be leaving the castle, and he would not be able to visit as often as he liked. She realized that the time may come where she'd have to tell Gray about the dragon so she could plan for him to visit her, but what if Gray reacted the same way she knew her father would? She didn't want Natsu to be killed, but she also knew that if she couldn't find a compromise, there would be fighting.

Mentally, she shook herself. She would have to find a way to deal with it when the time came. For now, she met Gray's eyes, full of trepidation and conviction, and smiled. "I think there are some things we need to talk about, but for now… Yes. Yes, I will marry you."

As he leaned toward her, she felt warning bells go off in her head, and a sharp pain near her heart that knocked the wind out of her. An uncomfortable shock spread from her chest out across her whole body, flaring with each heartbeat. A buzzing in her head grew in scale along with a deep sense of regret as Gray pulled her in for a hug. For some reason, a vision of her Dream Natsu filled her head, the smile he'd given her from across that ballroom blocking out all else for a brief, intense moment.

Gray was so relieved that he didn't notice the way her body had frozen, didn't feel the small shudders that ran through her body, didn't notice the tears that had formed in her suddenly scared eyes.

"Thank you," he whispered.


	25. Admission

**Thanks for the love, readers.**

 **I own only the plot of this story.**

Later that evening, Lucy retired early, telling her father she was tired from all the excitement following her engagement. In reality, she really needed some time alone to sort through what had happened after she'd agreed to marry Gray. Her reaction had shocked her so much that she hadn't been able to breathe, hadn't spoken in the few seconds following her answer. Gray had been hugging her and talking to her, but she hadn't heard through the buzzing in her head.

The pain and discomfort had thankfully faded before he pulled away, but she still didn't understand why she had reacted as she had. While she had never thought about marrying Gray before today, he wasn't a bad choice and her bodily response had felt unnecessarily violent.

Her maids came in shortly after she did to prepare a bath for her. Once she stepped into the warm water, she focused on loosening all of her muscles, from her toes to the top of her head. The water was deliciously hot, and filled with her favorite vanilla bath salts. As she sank into the water up to her neck, she forgot for a few minutes that she had any problems at all. Now that she had a fiance, her father had informed her that the rest of the week was open to her to do as she pleased. He'd gone so far as to inform her that he was putting together an escort so that she could go into town the following day. A day away from the castle and an open week had been the best news she'd had since coming home.

For a while she thought about nothing but the heat, the smell and the water that surrounded her. When she glanced at the window after a time, she saw that the sun was setting. Natsu would be showing up soon enough and the water had cooled, so she called for her maids, who helped her put on her robe and cleaned up the tub. Ten minutes later, she was sitting at her vanity brushing her hair as the door shut behind her maids for the last time that night. A small noise at the other end of the room was her only warning as, suddenly, she found herself in a bruising embrace.

Even though she couldn't see, the heat surrounding her could only be one person, so she tried to focus on breathing as Natsu clung to her. She wasn't sure how long he held her, but eventually he pulled away and started checking her over, moving the robe away so he could see her skin.

"Natsu, what are you doing?" She pulled the halves of her robe together as he tried to part them during his search. As she looked at him, she finally realized that his skin was pink everywhere that she could see it. Glancing at the windows again, she realized he shouldn't be here yet. There was no way he could make it from his cave to her home in the short time since the sun had gone down. "Natsu-"

"I felt it," he whispered, his voice breaking. "I felt that you were in pain and I couldn't do anything about it in my stupid cave." He pulled her close again, reassured that she wasn't hurt. "I was so scared that something had happened, I couldn't sleep."

"Natsu, how did you get here already? What happened to your skin?"

"I… I couldn't wait for the sun to set. I had to make sure you were okay."

Lucy blinked as she felt something wet and hot seep into her robe where he face rested. "Natsu…" She hugged him as tight as she dared with his burned skin. "Natsu, I'm okay."

"But you weren't, and I wasn't here. I'm a terrible friend."

"Natsu, that's not true, don't say that." Lucy pulled back suddenly. She studied his face, his too pink skin spotted with blisters, his eyes wide and wet with tears. "Wait, what do you mean you _felt_ it? You felt that I was in pain?"

"Yes, some time in the afternoon I think. I wanted to come to you then, but the sun was too high so I couldn't leave the cave."

"Natsu, that isn't normal."

"It isn't?"

"No." Her brain hummed as she thought about the conclusions she'd come to about her dreams. "Has that ever happened to you before?"

"No, but I've never had a friend before."

"That's not a part of becoming friends." Lucy's mind raced. She had to talk to him about the dreams. There had to be a connection. First, she had to do something about his burns. She carefully took his hands as she stood. "I need you to sit and be quiet for a moment, okay?" After he nodded, she led him to her bed and then moved towards the door to the hall.

Lucy opened the door, finding two guards situated near her door, one on either side. Thankfully, neither of them was Bickslow, and neither tended to ask questions when given orders. "Hey, I need a favor. I need one of the big tins of aloe from the healer's room, and I also need a big portion of supper brought up. As soon as you can, please." After one of them nodded, she shut the door and returned to Natsu's side. He'd managed to lay down in her bed, sprawled out on his back with his face turned into her pillow.

"Natsu, I have something I need to talk to you about."

"What happened earlier? Why were you in so much pain?"

"That's actually part of what I want to talk to you about." She sat next to him after tightening the belt on her robe. "Natsu, how long have you been a dragon?"

"What do you mean? I've been a dragon my whole life."

"Are you… sure?"

Natsu thought about the dream with the mage, the one in the cave where he watches her burn him. "As far as I can remember. Why?"

"I haven't known how to bring this up, and I still don't, but I think it's time. I don't know how, but I think that you and I, or at least my family line, are connected somehow."

His eyebrows pulled together over his eyes. "What do you mean?"

"I have been dreaming about you for years, or rather, who I suspect you use to be. Since I was young, I've had dreams about a man who looks just like you when you look like this," she said with a gesture. "I'm not me, exactly, but I look close enough it's probably a relative. I don't think that they're just dreams, I think I've managed to somehow inherit memories from one of my ancestors and that my family may have had a hand in turning you into a dragon, but I have no idea why."

Natsu stared up at her with wide eyes, his mouth opening and closing without making sound. As he floundered, there was a knock at the door and Lucy went to answer it. One of the guards had a tray loaded down with all the things she'd asked for. As he tried to bring it in, she thanked him and took it, quickly shutting the door behind her.

She carried the tray over, setting it on the bedside table as she noticed Natsu was still spacing out, his mouth moving but not appearing to make any words. Lucy picked up the tin of aloe and started carefully rubbing it over his skin. After covering the skin of both arms, Natsu finally managed to regain some composure. "You think I'm not a dragon? How? I mean, why?"

Lucy continued to smooth the aloe over his skin as she told him about some of the dreams, leaving out the ones where they did anything more than hold hands, and also about the conclusions she had drawn. By the time she was done talking, she'd pulled off his shirt and was spreading more aloe across his back. Apparently his clothing hadn't helped protect him at all. He didn't say anything as she finished his back and moved to his front. As she smoothed the cream over his chest, she was distracted from his defined musculature by the confused, almost scared look on his face. He spoke before she could, saying words she never expected to hear.

"I… have had dreams, too."


	26. A Dragon's Proposal

**Thanks for the reviews guys, they mean a lot. I'm glad so many of you are enjoying this.**

 **I own only the plot of this story.**

" _I… have had dreams, too."_

At Natsu's whispered confession, Lucy's hands on his stomach stilled.

He laid back on the bed, emotions quickly flitting across his face, too fast for her to keep up. Her hands hovered where his stomach had been. When he just continued to stare up at the ceiling, she moved forward to continue her administrations. She ignored the little voice in her head that grew upset at him for keeping the dreams secret, but she had done the same, so she could hardly fault him for his silence. "So you recognized me, then?" Her voice was quiet, emotionless.

"No." She couldn't hide her confusion, and after a moment, he finally looked at her, noticed her expression. He sat up, her hands getting pushed away as he took hold of her arms. "No, of course not, I would have told you immediately if I had." Lucy felt regret and shame in the pit of her stomach, but before she could say anything, he kept talking.

"Before I met you, I only had one dream, one where I was human, and a mage cast a spell on me. I always woke up before the spell finished so I never put it together. Until I met you, I'd never had a dream about you before. Once they started, I blamed your presence for the dreams. They were always of you- although, now that I think about it a little more, it wasn't _quite_ you- and the human version of myself. It always confused me why I was so certain that the human was me, but if you're right, then that means it actually _was_ me. What I don't understand, though-"

Natsu blinked, then blinked again, staring off at nothing before turning hurt filled eyes her way. "You never told me."

"Natsu-"

"You said you've been having the dreams for _years_. Why didn't you tell me once you saw my human form?" His eyes widened. "That's why you fainted when you first saw me like this. You saw me, and you knew, and you _didn't tell me_ -"

"I was _scared!_ " she said, tears pricking the corners of her eyes. This was not how this conversation was suppose to go. She hadn't anticipated this, although she maybe should have. "Please Natsu, you have to understand. I had no idea how it was possible to dream about you before meeting you. I didn't know if it was some sort of magic, or- or premonitions or what. I didn't know. Once I figured out- once I decided that they might be memories, I knew I needed to talk to you, but I didn't know how to broach the subject."

Natsu stared at her. The anger and hurt mixed in his eyes bothered her so much, but she didn't know how to fix it. He whispered, "How long ago did you figure it out? Or _decide_ that you'd figured it out?"

She swallowed, certain that the anger was about to overtake the pain she could see. "Over a week ago."

He threw himself from her bed and started to pace. Even with the emotional turmoil he was in, he remained quiet. Even though his anger and hurt seemed to grow every time she opened her mouth, he continued to whisper, continued to help her keep him secret. Once she realized that, she only felt worse.

"Natsu, I'm so sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

He didn't say anything, didn't seem to acknowledge that she'd spoken.

After a while, she tried again. "Natsu-"

"Not yet," Natsu said, continuing to pace. After a while, Lucy's hands grew sore and she realized she was clenching her fists in her robe. Under which, she was still naked. After she set aside the aloe, she quietly stood and moved towards her wardrobe so she could dress. Before she could move away, though, his hand was around her wrist.

"Alright, so if you're right and I'm actually a human, how do we change me back?" She looked up at him and saw that there was no anger, no fear, no hurt left in his eyes, only determination.

"I don't know," she said.

"What about your friend, the one that likes researching stuff… Levy. Could she help?"

"Levy? I mean, maybe, but I'd have to tell her about you."

"Then tell her," Natsu said.

"Natsu, it's not that easy."

"Why not? You trust her not to talk about your magic- which, I still don't get why it has to be secret, by the way- so why can't you tell her about me?"

"Telling her about my magic is one thing. How am I suppose to tell her that I have a secret dragon friend who held me hostage for a short time and only let me come home when I agreed to keep being his friend? Who sneaks into my room at night, and may or may not have a connection to someone farther up my family line? Who also may or may not have been cursed, or something, to be a dragon and is actually a human who's still alive after however many years?"

He blinked at her. "Well, you could leave out the part that sounds like I blackmailed you into being my friend."

"Natsu, I can't tell her about you."

"Is it… because you're ashamed of me?"

"That's not it. Our meeting wasn't exactly conventional, and former human or not, you're still at least part dragon now, and if my father finds out, he will _definitely_ try to have you killed. I can't risk that happening."

"Why?" He was getting agitated again, and she saw sadness flash in his eyes before he looked away. "It sounds like it might be easier for you if I wasn't here."

"And you thinking dying is the answer? Where did that even come from?" she asked incredulously, then sighed. Apparently finding out he wasn't a real dragon had been harder on him than she thought. "Maybe you not being around would be easier, but in case you haven't realized it, I care about you, and I _like_ having you as my friend. I don't want to risk your life by letting your secret get out."

He refused to meet her eyes, but nodded as though he understood. "Then can you do the research?"

"It will take time, and I've been looking into it a little bit, but there's a lot of other things going on."

"Like what?" Natus moved to sit on her bed, done pacing, for the moment at least, so she also sat down.

"Like the investigator looking for whoever hired my kidnapper coming every other day to ask if I'd remembered anything else. Like my father resuming my lessons almost immediately after returning home from being freaking kidnapped. Not to mention that he has had suitors showing up constantly for me to meet."

"Suitors?"

"Yes, potential husbands for me."

He frowned. "Why would he do that?"

"That's what people do. They grow up, they get married, they have kids. As the sole heir of the Heartfilia family, there's a lot riding on who I marry."

He stared down at her hands as they rested in her lap. He pulled one to him, examining her fingers as he ran his own up and down the soft skin. "Do you love them?"

"Who?"

"Any of them, the men who come to see you."

"I haven't met most of them before, so I don't have any attachment to them. Love isn't a factor when a princess or prince marry, though. They have a kingdom to think about, so they marry someone who will help them run the country; someone who will help maintain times of peace, but can also defend it in times of war."

Natsu was quiet for a moment before speaking in an almost silent whisper. "We were in love, in the dreams." He looked up at her, a heated look in his eyes. "If we could find a way- if we could fix me…"

He wet his lips, gripped her hand in his. "Lucy, if we could, would you marry _me_?"


	27. Emotional Turmoil Spreads

**Here's a double dose for the great reviews.**

 **I own only the plot of this story.**

Lucy's mouth opened and shut without making a sound. Natsu was looking at her with a mix of emotions, many she couldn't place. He looked eager and confused and earnest and so many other things. If she looked hard enough, she could see affection, something close to love, deep in his gaze. She tried to choose her words carefully, but before she could answer, something in her chest shifted and a heat spread throughout her body. It started similar to how the pain had when she'd been with Gray, but this time it was comfortable, welcoming. Her heart swelled and she felt so much happiness, so much… _good,_ for lack of a better word, radiating through her body she gasped out loud.

"Lucy?" Natsu got down on his knees as she leaned forward, hugging herself. "Lucy, are you okay?"

There it was. As she looked into his eyes, she could see it so clearly, see how the Natsu in front of her could be the same Natsu in her dreams. The heat in her body shifted as it started to lessen. It felt like it was reaching for Natsu as he kneeled in front of her.

That probably explained the pain she'd felt after saying yes to Gray's proposal. Whatever this was, this connection between them, it obviously wanted him, wanted her to be _with_ him, even if it couldn't happen. It made no sense to her. She had to be tied in to Natsu's curse some how, but _how?_

There was something else… something else felt different. Focusing inward, she tried to figure out what it was, what felt so off, but she couldn't even pinpoint the reason for the feeling.

When she could do nothing more than stare, the wind seemingly knocked out of her, words refusing to come, he grabbed her hands. The heat continued to dissipate, slowly leaving her body.

Suddenly, she realized she hadn't answered him yet. How could she tell him no, when he was looking at her like that? She'd made a promise to Gray, and Natsu was… well, Natsu. As the last of the warmth faded, she realized her body had grown cold, the only warmth left where he held her hands. He continued to look up at her and she wondered why he wasn't affected. Obviously, whatever their connection was, it had caused her body's reaction, right? So why hadn't he had a similar reaction?

"Natsu… did you feel anything just now?"

"What do you mean? Like, emotionally? I'm confused about the stare you just gave me. Plus, well…" He lifted one hand to scratch the back of his head. "You know, kind of hoping that you'll agree to my proposal."

"I mean physically."

"Uh, nothing weird, no."

"I don't understand why you didn't feel it, too."

"Feel what?"

Her mouth opened and closed a couple times. "I don't know how to explain it. When you asked, I just felt… _good_. I don't really have words for it, but it felt like… for a moment everything felt right. It felt like… like…" She shrugged, at a loss. "It felt like coming home after being away for too long."

Before she could even bring up the moment with Gray, all remnants of those good feelings disappeared at the look of relief and happiness on his face. As he smiled at her, she knew he had misunderstood. "That's how I feel, too!" he exclaimed in a whisper. "I know it'll take time, but we'll figure this out, and then you and I can be together again!"

"Natsu…" She pulled the robe tighter around herself. "I… we can't get married, I'm sorry."

"Well no, not right now. I don't want to risk your safety while I'm still the way I am, but I'm sure there's a way to fix it and once we figure it out, everything will be okay."

"That's not why, Natsu."

Natsu studied her for a moment, noticed the discomfort in her eyes, the way her shoulders had tensed, watched her hands grip the fabric of the robe she wore. He moved away, sitting on the floor to give her space, sensing that she needed it. "Okay." Ignoring the way his sunburnt skin pulled and hurt, he crossed his legs. "I suppose you'll want to get to know me better, huh? I know we've been doing a lot of talking, but we don't know each other all that well yet, and once I'm back to normal, you'll probably want to get to know the old me, too. I absolutely understand."

"No, Natsu, that's…" She sighed, standing to pace the same path Natsu had been on. "Whatever our connection, it's obvious you had feelings for a family member of mine many generations ago. I don't know why it's coming up now, or why I remember them and no one else in my family has, but it was still someone else that you use to care for. I am sorry about what happened to you, and not just because it was more than likely caused by my family. I don't think I can apologize enough for them. I don't know if you can ever forgive them, but I wasn't involved.

"The woman you loved back then…" She met his eyes, watched as his face fell a little more with each word. Her voice was full of regret as she continued. "It wasn't me, Natsu. Whatever is resurfacing for you, those emotions aren't for me." _As much as I would like them to be_ , she thought, surprising herself. "I will do my best to help you figure out what happened, I promise, I will help you, but I… I can't marry you."

"But I _do_ love you, Lucy." He scrambled to his feet and stood in front of her, stopping her movement. "I don't even remember that much. I've only had a handful of dreams about the woman who looks like you. All the feelings I have are for _you_ , not the dream version of you." He smiled again, a small smile this time, as he took both of her hands.

"Natsu, this is insane." _Why was she suddenly so angry?_ "I _can't_ marry you, okay? We are friends, nothing more. Whatever you feel isn't love, at least not love like that. You were alone for a long time, what you're feeling is from finally having someone to talk to, finally having someone else around. You're not in love with me, you're just not lonely anymore.

"Whatever you felt back then, whatever love you had, wasn't for me. I'm just the descendant of whoever you use to love." _Why did that bother her so much, why was she so jealous?_ "It wasn't _me_ , okay?

"Plus, I am a princess. You are not a suitable match for a princess." _What the hell has gotten into me?_ "You weren't back then and you're not now. I have to marry someone who can help me lead Fiore, not someone who has been hiding on his own, away from civilization, and hating humans for decades."

Natsu's shock was palpable, the air around him thick with tension. Lucy had pulled back at some point, but she didn't remember moving. "Are you saying that you don't care for me?" he asked, his mouth barely moving.

"Of course I do, but I'm not foolish enough to believe that you're in love with me, and I won't lie to you to help you feel justified in what you think you feel." _It hurts, why am I saying these things to him? Why am I trying to hurt him? Why am_ I _hurting so much?_ "Natsu, we are friends, but that is all we'll ever be. More than that, once I'm married, I think we will need to spend some time apart. I will still do the research I promised, but I want time to establish a routine with my spouse. On top of that, I don't think I will be remaining here at the castle. I don't know yet if we'll be staying at his home or where we will be going at first, but don't think you'll be able to make the trek from you're cave."

Natsu's arms folded around himself as he looked down at the floor. "I don't understand, Lucy."

She sighed, confused about why she was responding as she was, but maybe it was the way it had to be. Again, her thoughts surprised her, flooded her with an intensity that confused her. _I wish so badly that it was me he loved, had loved back then. I wish that we could fix it, that he could be whole again and we could fall in love in_ this _time and be together. I hate that I'm a princess, I hate that I can't give him what he wants. I hate that I have to hurt us both._

"I'm sorry, but I already accepted a marriage proposal today. I already know who I'm going to marry."


	28. In the Shadows of a Maple Tree

**Don't worry guys, we're getting to the end, your questions will all be answered in due time. As always, thanks for the love!**

 **I own only the plot of this story.**

The wedding planner was droning on again, but Lucy barely paid her any attention. Her father sat next to her, making decisions that she barely nodded at. She didn't care what color the tablecloths were or what flowers they would use or even what flavor the cake would be. If she could have gotten away with not being around for the plans all together, she would have preferred it. She especially hated these late night meetings. It had been dark for hours and she just wanted to go to bed.

Ever since she'd agreed to marry Gray- was it really three weeks ago already?- she'd spent most of her days with the wedding planner or the florist or the chef or the seamstress or anyone else her father had hired to help plan the wedding. Gray had left all the preparations to her, saying that he would be happy with whatever she chose. He was currently back home, discussing the upcoming marriage and what it would mean for the two countries with his council. He'd spent the day following his proposal with her, celebrating and helping to share the good news, before leaving the day after to make preparations back home. As she stared out the window, nodding at whatever her father was saying, she thought back to her last night with Natsu.

 _As she'd told him about Gray, he had become furious. "You're going to marry some… some…_ ice princess _from up north? What about us? What about our connection?"_

" _I told you Natsu, whatever connection we have doesn't change the situation. It doesn't change the fact that you use to love a woman that wasn't me; I'm just the descendant. I'm sorry if that bothers you, but it's the truth."_

" _Maybe the me from before I became a dragon loved her, but not_ me. I _love_ you."

It had hurt her, but she had said things, things she couldn't take back, things she refused to think about. She was certain she'd hurt him, but they had no future and she'd had to make him understand. He had left, without a smile, a goodbye, without any indication that he would come back again.

He hadn't; in the three weeks since then, she hadn't seen him or had any indication that he'd visited. She had tried to work on the research she had promised to do, but the magic section of her library was slim at best and she was still stuck at home. They were no closer to finding whoever had wanted to kidnap her, and until they did, she was still stuck on the castle's grounds. The good news was that she was allowed back into the maze, but only if she took Bickslow with her. She'd found out that the cheeky guard had apparently memorized the path so that she couldn't lose him, even if she tried.

Lucy hadn't cared, though, she'd just been glad that she could go back into her favorite place. With all the guilt and pain she was carrying around these days, she needed her time away from everything, even if it meant having Bickslow there.

Even after all this time, she was still so confused about what to do about Natsu. She hadn't expected declarations of love from the dragon; it had been such a shock, she knew she had handled it poorly. Not to mention how hard it must be for him to adjust to the news that he more than likely wasn't a true dragon. She wanted to help him, she really did, but after their fight, she wasn't sure if he'd come back and let her. Even if he did, what could she do to help? She was a wizard, yes, but she wasn't the type of magic user who could help Natsu.

Also, since their last night together, she'd missed him with an intensity that scared her. She felt lonely and incomplete without him around, and it felt just plain _wrong_ to pine for him with the way things stood. If she didn't know any better, she'd think she was lovesick, but that made no sense whatsoever. Something had changed and she couldn't figure out what it was and _it was bothering her_.

"Lucy, are you listening?"

"Yes, father," she lied, focusing on her father with some difficulty. "I agree with your choice."

"Uh, thanks Lucy, but I like to think that I was _your_ choice."

Lucy looked up, heat rising to her cheeks as she looked over and saw her frie- her fiance standing in the doorway, finally back from his trip.

"Gray! I'm sorry, I didn't realize you'd returned." She stood as he came her way, allowing him to kiss her cheek as she hugged him. "How was your trip?"

"Productive, but I'm afraid I'll have to go back at least once more before the wedding. Have you decided on a date, yet?"

"Yes, we have," her father answered. When she heard the date, her stomach dropped. _Two weeks?_ When had they picked the date? Why hadn't she been paying attention?

"So soon?" she squeaked before she could stop herself.

"You agreed, daughter. It's when the Fair Tails will be passing through, and you wanted your favorite band to play, remember?"

 _The Fairy Tails were coming through town?_ "Oh, yes, I'm sorry. There's just been a lot going on, I guess I forgot."

Something passed between her and Gray as they made eye contact and he turned towards her father. "Do you mind, sir, if I borrow my fiancee for a little while?"

"Of course, we can finish this talk later."

"Great." Gray hooked Lucy's hand through his arm and pulled her with him through the castle, towards the back where they could exit into the garden. As they went out the door, Lucy breathed deeply through her nose, smelling the plants and the earth and silently thanked her lucky stars that Gray understood her so well.

"So, how are the preparations coming?" he asked. "You look a little overwhelmed."

"I am a little. It's not much time to plan a wedding."

"We don't have to do anything all that fancy if you don't want. With all the people who will undoubtedly be invited, it will be big, but it doesn't have to be extravagant."

"It will be okay, the planner is doing a wonderful job." _She didn't even know the wedding planner's name._ "I'm sure it will go off without a hitch."

"Alright," he said with a smile. "Just don't work yourself too hard, okay?"

 _She couldn't even focus, so there was no chance of that_. "I won't. So how was your trip, really?" As Gray spoke, they made their way around the garden, her guards ever present behind them on the trail. Lucy focused on what he said, on the words and their meaning, tried desperately to distract herself from her thoughts, if even for a short time. To forget her guilt, her pain, the confusion, for just a little while.

"Has Levy been by to visit yet?" he asked after a while.

"Not yet, but I sent word to her yesterday, asking her to be my maid of honor. I know she'll be thrilled once she gets back into town. I believe her father said she would be arriving tomorrow or the day after."

"I hope she gets here before I have to leave again."

"Do you really have to go?"

"Unfortunately, yes. There is a lot of work to be done before the big day, and now that big day is coming up much sooner than I anticipated."

"I am sorry about that. If you like, we could put it off for a while, so you don't have to rush."

He smiled and squeezed her hand where it rested on his arm. "Don't worry about it. I know how much you like the Fairy Tails, I wouldn't want you to miss out on having them perform at our wedding. I want you to have whatever you want."

 _What about what you want?_

Lucy felt so terrible, so guilty. His words, his smile, the care with which he treated her. She didn't deserve it. Gray deserved so much more than she felt she could give him, even if their marriage would benefit them both. He deserved someone who would love him, cherish him, hold him in the highest regard and never disappoint him. They were friends, nearly siblings with how close they'd been raised. She was so worried that she would some day disappoint him.

What if they were incompatible? They were expected to have children together, what if she was never able to see past their friendship, to see him in that way? As far as a royal marriage went, it didn't matter, she would be expected to fulfill her duty as wife of the king. However, Gray would never force her to do anything she felt uncomfortable about.

They were passing under the big maple tree in the middle of the garden. It was dark under its boughs, the stars and moon unable to illuminate the space through the thick foliage. She tugged Gray to a stop in the shadows. "Something wrong?" he asked.

Before she could question herself, before she could lose her courage, she rose up on tiptoe to kiss him.


	29. Jealousy in the Shadows

**Warning: Here there be answers and a little heartbreak. I apologize for any confusion; trust me, our protagonists are feeling it, too. Answers will come, I promise!**

 **agirl0ntheinternet- While I am sometimes a little put off by Juvia's obsession over Gray, yes, I am a Gruvia supporter.**

 **As always, thanks for the love, readers.**

 **I own only the plot of this story.**

Natsu silently scaled the side of the castle, his claws easily finding purchase between the bricks. He had stayed away for as long as he could, but he didn't want to anymore. He wanted to see Lucy again, no matter how she felt about him.

After he'd returned home and taken time to think about what had happened, he'd realized he'd made a mistake. He had been too aggressive with Lucy, too demanding for answers after telling her he loved her.

She had been right, of course. What did he know about love? He was grateful for her presence, ridiculously happy that he was no longer alone and that he finally had a friend. That didn't necessarily mean he was in love with her. But… he wanted to be. Lucy was amazing. She was strong, resourceful, direct, smart, beautiful and so much more. It surprised him how much he liked her, but now that he knew he wasn't really a dragon, it made sense.

He wasn't sure if it was her presence or the fact that he was spending more time in his human form lately, but he felt different. He no longer thought the same way he used to, before he'd met her. While he still enjoyed being a dragon, enjoyed being able to fly, enjoyed hunting, even still enjoyed having a hoard, he knew he had changed. He only had one problem with his little revelation; he now had to work through his feelings about the people he'd killed. It had hit him hard the day after he'd last seen Lucy, when he'd finally realized that he had not only killed people, but _eaten_ them, when he himself was actually a human. He regretted what he'd done, and hated that he'd undoubtedly caused many people pain by taking their loved ones. It had taken time, but the regret wasn't quite so crippling anymore.

However, due to his guilt, he'd learned quickly that when those thoughts became too much for him, he could revert to his dragon form to ward off the worst of the feelings. For some reason, his emotions seemed to be affected by the form he was in. His dragon form was colder and more calculating than his human form, which was chipper and warm. He wondered, once he was human again, if he would be the same as he was in his human form or if he'd revert to his previous personality. He also wondered if he would be forced to pay in some way for his crimes against the humans.

 _Once he was human again…_ it was only in the last couple days he'd truly begun to believe he could change back. He'd tried to be positive in front of Lucy, but even then he'd been uncertain. Now though, when he thought about it, it was always _when_. He wanted to be human again, _needed_ to be human again. He didn't want to keep living on his own in the woods, scaring off everyone who entered to protect himself. Natsu wanted to return to society, wanted to live among people again, maybe make new friends. Live a normal life. If he was human again, he could spend time with Lucy, and right now, that was all that mattered to him. The rest could wait, but he really wanted to be able to see Lucy without risking her getting in trouble.

Besides, they had a connection, a strong one. Natsu was more convinced than ever that they were meant to be together. After he'd finally thought through everything that had happened since meeting her, he knew there was no question. The signs were all there for anyone who bothered to look. He had some sort of sixth sense when it came to her wellbeing. He had known she was in trouble when she'd had those poisonous berries, and he'd felt her pain the last day he'd seen her. She also seemed to have a similar sense for him, too; it had helped her to protect him from the arrow shot at hiim when he'd returned her home. She had dreams, memories of him, and since he'd met her, he'd been having some of the same. It was obvious she was the key to his true form, to his memories. Until he'd met her, he'd only ever had the one dream; he knew her presence had unlocked the others. He wanted to go back, and he needed her to do that, he was sure. First, he needed to make amends and make sure they were still friends.

As he made his way to the edge of the building, he sniffed the air. He could smell her, and others. He clung to the wall as he peaked around the corner of the castle, right next to her room. Down in the gardens he could see a couple pairs of guards walking around the edge and one pair near the middle, where the giant maple tree was. He could see a couple pairs of feet standing near the tree, but they weren't dressed the same. As he smelled the air, he realized Lucy's scent wasn't just coming from her room.

He silently slid back down the building so he could see better and realized that the two under the tree had stopped. Natsu realized that one of them was Lucy, and she was with a man that he'd never seen before. As he watched, Lucy suddenly lifted up onto her toes and kissed the man.

Natsu felt his heart stop, then resume beating at a furious pace. He felt himself begin to burn, his body creating wave after wave of heat as his stomach first dropped and then exploded in anger. As the man put his arms around Lucy, pulling her in closer, Natsu nearly launched himself in their direction. He barely reigned in his anger as he sunk his claws into the wall further, anchoring himself. After watching for a little while, a growl escaped his mouth before he could stop it. After squeezing his eyes shut, he took a deep breath, and another, before moving back into the shadows.

He'd seen enough.

* * *

Lucy felt awkward and uncertain as she pressed her lips to Gray's. She'd surprised him, it was obvious, but he responded quickly enough, pressing his own lips into hers as he put his arms around her. He tilted his head a little and kissed her a couple times, keeping his mouth closed, keeping the contact gentle. His lips were soft and his embrace was warm but careful.

As he pulled away, he smiled at her in the dark, half of his face illuminated by light from the castle. "I hope that was okay?"

It had been okay, but _okay_ wasn't what she had hoped for. She had hoped there would be more, a spark that would show her that she didn't need to worry. Hoped there would be something so she'd know that the physical aspect of their marriage wouldn't be as awkward as she feared it would be.

For a split second, she felt pain, but she knew it wasn't her own. Just as quickly as it came, it was gone. Something drew her attention, a noise she was sure, something like a growl, but she didn't hear it with her ears. She turned toward the castle, scanning the darkness. _Oh no_. In the shadows one floor down from her room, she saw a flash of pink as it disappeared from sight.

"Lucy? You okay?"

Her face snapped towards Gray. "Yes, I'm fine. Sorry." Then Lucy realized she hadn't responded to his earlier question. "And yes, yes that was fine."

Gray smiled at her uncertainly. "You don't seem fine, Lucy. I'm sorry if I took that farther than you wanted, but I was curious."

"I was too, obviously." Lucy tried to watch the castle from the corner of her eye, but from where they stood, it was difficult. "Gray, if you don't mind, I'd really like to go to bed. It's been a busy day and I could use the sleep. Do you mind if we pick this back up tomorrow at breakfast?"

"This being the conversation or the other thing?"

Lucy smacked him lightly on the shoulder, making them both smile. "You know what I meant." She leaned up and kissed his cheek as she started towards the castle. "Good night, Gray."

"Good night, Lucy."

She tried not to hurry, tried not to give in to the urge to fly into her home and up the stairs. The walk felt like it took hours, but as she made it to her door, she informed her guards that she would not need her maids and then bid them good night as she closed the door behind her.

The room was dark, but she didn't bother to light a candle as she made her way towards the other door. She looked outside, making sure no one was left in the garden, then opened it silently to whisper, "Natsu?" She waited, and called his name twice more. The door remained open as she turned back to the room. She whispered his name again as she lit a candle. After a full circle of the room, she sat on her bed, shoulders slumped. He wasn't there. Lucy stared at the candle as the fire began to blur, refusing to acknowledge the tears that gathered and fell.

She missed him so much.


	30. Liar

**Hello guys! Heads up- I'm pretty sure this will be done within the next ten chunks. (I really can't convince myself to call them chapters, they're just not long enough.) I need to be done by Friday, when my writing thing starts, so there will probably be more parts like this one that are longer than others, or I may update more than once in a day. Hope you're all ready!**

 **I own only the plot of this story.**

11 days before the wedding.

 _He still hasn't come back._

Lucy held up her hand, her keys spinning to create a shield as Erza swung her sword. The blade met resistance, but cut through easily. Lucy sucked in a breath as the sword stopped inches from her.

Erza pulled the sword back. "Lucy, what's wrong? You're usually more focused."

"Sorry," Lucy said, catching her keys. "Must be wedding nerves."

Erza smiled, placated. "Maybe we shouldn't push you too hard, then. I'd hate to hurt you on accident before the big day."

Lucy forced a smile. "That's probably best."

* * *

8 days before the wedding

 _Why hasn't he come back?_

Bickslow was laughing as he walked next to her. "You should have seen her face! The head cook was covered head to foot in flour and the maid just about fainted when she realized what she'd done."

Lucy chuckled as he continued with his story. It was nice that someone was finally talking to her about something that wasn't wedding plans, even if she couldn't focus. Despite her not responding with her usual enthusiasm, he continued to tell his story. She was beyond grateful that she had someone to spend time with who wasn't expecting anything from her. Someone who treated her the same as they always had, allowing a few moments of peace in her day. Once she arrived at her new home, would she be able to find someone else who could give her that? Her stomach dropped at the thought.

"Bickslow." She interrupted his laughter, stopping just outside the library. "After I'm married, I'll be heading north to Gray's castle. Would you… would you mind coming with me?"

There was a chuckle and she looked up in time to see him pull off his helmet. He looked down at her, his familiar smile in place, his eyes lit up with happiness. He put his empty hand to his chest as he lowered himself to one knee. "Absolutely, princess. It would be an honor to accompany you."

Lucy ignored the tears that were building in her eyes as she placed her hand on his shoulder. "Thank you."

* * *

6 days before the wedding

 _He has to come back. How will he get answers otherwise?_

Lucy held her arms up as she stared at the wall, the near silence of the room oppressive and uncomfortable. The seamstress stuck a few more pins in her bodice before having Lucy move her arms around again. After she spun in a circle, the other woman stood back and had her spin once more. As she completed her second circle, she stumbled a little as she noticed her father in the doorway.

"Hello, Father."

The seamstress quickly turned and bowed as the king entered the room. He nodded at her as she stood again. "Would you excuse us for a minute?"

"Of course, your highness," she said quietly before leaving and shutting the door behind her.

Since her dress was basically finished, Lucy was fully dressed, but she still felt exposed in front of her father as he studied her.

"You look beautiful, daughter," he said, pride evident in his tone and smile.

"Thank you, father."

He moved forward and brought his hands out from behind his back. One held a small box and the other reached out to her. "Come down for a minute, I have something for you."

"Okay." Lucy took his hand and let him lead her to the small couch against the wall.

"Can you sit in that?"

"Yes. It's nearly finished, it will be okay."

As they sat together, he handed her the small box. Inside the box was an old jewelry box, its fabric faded in places and the metal edging a little scratched. "The box isn't much to look at anymore, but I think you'll like what's inside. It use to be your mother's."

Lucy's breathing stopped for a moment as she careful extracted the inner box and opened it with shaky hands. Inside was the pearl necklace that her mother had loved so much, the one she'd saved for special occasions.

"Your grandmother gave that to your mother to wear on our wedding day, and her mother before that, and her mother before that." He careful extracted the pearls from their box and reached to place them on her neck, her mother's other necklace temporarily missing for the fitting. "I'm sorry that she isn't here to give them to you, but I know that she would want you to have them."

Lucy turned as she touched the pearls at her neck and stared at the mirror across the room. She'd thought the pearls had been buried with her mother; seeing them now, feeling them on her neck, she couldn't hold back the tears. Her father swallowed audibly as he rubbed her shoulder but didn't say anything.

It was too much for her emotionally strung out brain. If her mom had still been around, she could have talked to her. She could have helped Lucy figure out what to do, about Natsu, about the wedding, about everything. Her mother had always know just what to say, just what to do, in any situation. She tried to stop the tears, but as they continued to fall, one thought kept circling around in her head.

 _Mom… mom what do I do?_

* * *

4 days before the wedding

 _He said he loves me, so he_ has _to come back. Right?_

Lucy ran her hands slowly back and forth over the book in her lap, having long since closed it. Levy was working on something nearby, and even though she was pretty sure she was supposed to be paying attention, she hadn't been for some time. She thought it had to do with the wedding. _Oh yeah, her speech…_

"... and then we toast! What do you think Lu?"

Lucy looked up at her friend; Levy looked so hopeful and expectant, her smile so bright, Lucy felt bad for not paying attention. "That sounds great, Levy. It'll be the best speech at the wedding, I have no doubt."

Levy's eyebrows came together as she studied her friend. "You didn't hear a thing, did you?"

Lucy's face heated under her friend's scrutiny. "I'm sorry Levy, I'm trying."

Her friend shrugged. "It's your wedding. If you want to risk me embarrassing you, that's on you."

"I don't know if you have it in you."

"It _is_ my two best friends, so I might make an exception." Levy moved to sit on the only portion of the couch that Lucy wasn't taking up. "I still can't believe you and Gray are getting married."

"Neither can I."

Levy looked at her worriedly. "Are you sure this is a good idea, Lu? You seem pretty upset about it."

Lucy shrugged. "I'm a royal. He's a royal. It'll create a few problems, but overall it will be good for the countries."

"Are you kidding me, Lucy? I'm not worried about the countries," Levy replied with a huff. "They're not the ones who have been near comatose in conversation since they got engaged."

"Comatose is a strong word."

"Lu, I've had more conversations with myself trying to talk to you in the last two weeks than I have the rest of my life." Levy leaned over Lucy, pinning her legs with her hands as she scowled. "What's going on?"

"I'm just nervous."

"Liar."

Lucy sighed, not bothering to argue, but not bothering to explain either.

"Lucy, whatever is bother you, you can tell me, you know that, right?"

"I know." Levy's eyes narrowed slightly, but she didn't say anything.

They both knew Lucy was lying.


	31. What Rehearsal Dinner?

**It's been a while since we've seen a dream, hasn't it…**

 **I own only the plot of this story.**

 _Hand in hand they walked around the pond, the party behind them, as well as her guard, long forgotten. She used one hand to hold up her dress as they carefully made their way through the damp grass. His hand in hers kept her steady when her shoe suddenly caught on root, making her lose her balance. As she righted herself, he chuckled. "Perhaps this wasn't a good idea after all."_

" _Sorry," she said. "These shoes are better for dancing than they are for walking out here."_

" _That's alright, there's a bench coming up. We can just stop there, if you're okay with that?"_

 _She nodded as she continued walking with him. He looked nervous, more so than she had ever seen him look before. She'd caught the look on his face every now and then the last couple hours, but she didn't know what was causing it. She tried to distract him with conversation again. "So, how did your meeting go today?"_

 _He shrugged, but his smile belied his excitement. "I don't think it went as well as I would have liked, but I think they liked the product we showed them. I got the feeling that they might try to play with us a little bit, but they want to work with us."_

" _That would be great! I told you it was going to work out."_

" _Well, they haven't said yes yet."_

" _They will." She smiled up at him as she leaned her head against his shoulder. "Who wouldn't want to work with someone as wonderful as you?"_

 _He snorted. "A lot of people, apparently."_

" _Well, they're idiots."_

 _He chuckled quietly as they made it to the bench. He helped her to sit and arrange her skirts before sitting himself. He glanced over his shoulder and saw that the guard had stopped nearby, close enough to act if need be but far enough away he wouldn't be able to hear them unless they spoke loudly enough._

 _Lucy took his hand in hers as she drew his attention again. "Are you okay? You seem… off tonight. Did I do something?"_

 _He added his other hand to the pile in her lap, effectively covering both of her hands. "In a way, I suppose you could say that."_

 _She blinked rapidly. "What did I do? Was it something bad?"_

 _He chuckled again. "Never," he whispered as he brought both of her hands up to his mouth to kiss her knuckles. "I need to tell you something."_

" _Alright." She drew out the word a little as he continued to stare into her eyes, black eyes studying brown for a while. He moved one of his hands to grab both of hers, freeing the other one to move up and cup her face._

" _I never expected it to happen, but I wouldn't change it for anything. Even though I know it will undoubtedly cause problems for me, I don't regret anything we've done, for one minute, one second… one heartbeat." When she gave him a confused look, he smiled softly at her. "I love you."_

" _What?..."_

 _His cheeks were red as he momentarily avoided her eyes. When he looked back at her, he was smiling again. "I said I love you."_

 _Her brain seemed to stutter to a stop as her heart began to sprint. She felt her mouth widen in a smile and she threw herself into his arms. "I love you, too." He pulled her close, feeling his anxiety melt away as her arms came around him. "I can't believe you're actually… I don't know. I always thought eventually you'd get tired of me and move on to someone who was more… worldly. More experienced."_

" _No one could ever hold a candle to you… No one."_

 _She smiled radiantly at him before she suddenly looked down, shyness taking over. "Would you, maybe… um." She could feel her cheeks growing warm but she pushed on. "Would you, maybe… kiss me?"_

 _He blinked at her in obvious surprise, but he quickly smiled and took her face carefully in his hands as he leaned towards her._

 _The first time his lips touched her, she was certain she saw fireworks, and she knew for a fact she would never forget the moment._

* * *

It was the day before the wedding, and while Lucy had been having trouble focusing lately, she was not having that problem right now. "Father, I don't understand. The wedding is tomorrow, why are we having a party tonight?"

She'd come down to breakfast after another terrible night of sleep just looking for some food and coffee. Lucy had informed everyone involved in the wedding planning that she would be taking the morning off. It was supposed to be a relaxing morning, so she hadn't expected her father's announcement.

"It's the rehearsal dinner, daughter. It's tradition to have a rehearsal the night before a wedding."

"I understand that, but you're inviting a bunch of people that aren't even in the wedding."

"We're Heartfilias; we have a reputation to uphold. Your wedding will be the greatest party Fiore has ever seen."

She sighed. "Father, I would really rather we didn't-"

He cut her off. "That's enough Lucy, I've already made my decision."

Lucy changed tactics. "Won't it be weird to have a party for Gray and me without him here? He said he wouldn't be back until late tonight."

"I informed him of the party before he left and he assured me that he would be back in time for it."

"Father, he's already been running himself ragged getting things ready before the wedding, did you have to rush him for a party of all things?"

"He's a king now, and soon enough, he'll be in charge of a much larger country. It's good practice for him."

Lucy's hands balled up under the table where her father couldn't see them. Jerkily she stood, refusing to look at him as she worked to control her anger. She turned to leave without a word, ignoring her father when he called out to her. A guard opened the door, but she paused when he demanded that she return to the table.

She lifted her nose slightly and straightened her shoulders with all the regalness she could muster. "I'm going to be a queen soon, father, and you won't be able to boss me around anymore. Maybe next time you should try _asking_ me instead of telling me what to do." As she passed through the doorway, she added, "It'll be good practice for you."

Her guards outside the door shared a look she ignored as she made her way down the hall toward the kitchen. On her way, she found the planner, who paused as she approached. Lucy sighed inwardly at the woman's hopeful look, so she smiled as she stopped near the woman. "You look like you would like to speak with me."

"I'm sorry, princess, I know that you said not to bother you this morning-"

Lucy waved her hand. "It's fine. Now that I know about tonight, I expect I will be hearing from many people. How about I have one of my guards take you to the solarium and I will join you shortly so we can talk?"

The woman looked beyond grateful. "I would really appreciate it princess, thank you."

Lucy gestured to one of the guards, who led the woman away as she continued her walk. In the kitchens, she requested a selection of the breakfast be brought to the solarium for her and her guest, along with coffee instead of tea. Lamenting the loss of an undisturbed breakfast in her room, she made her way towards her new destination. As she passed through the foyer, the butler was opening the door and Levy entered. Her face lit up as she spied the princess. "Lucy! Just who I was looking for!"

"Good morning, Levy." Lucy met her friend as she came forward to hug her, excitement buzzing across her skin. "You look extremely happy this morning."

"I have something to talk to you about, are you busy?"

"Unfortunately. The wedding planner stopped by this morning and I was just heading to meet with her. You're welcome to join us if you'd like. I'm having food brought in."

"That's okay, I can wait. Just don't take too long, I have to get back home to get some things ready for tonight."

Lucy sighed. "I really wish there wasn't a party tonight."

Something in Levy's smile gave Lucy pause as she grinned mischievously. "I don't know Lu, I think tonight's going to a lot of fun."

"You look like the cat who got the canary, Levy. What are you planning?"

"Me? Planning something? Why would you think that?"

"Levy." Lucy's tone was filled with warning.

"Aren't you supposed to be meeting with your planner? I'll just wait out in the gardens. Where's Bickslow? I heard he memorized your maze path- maybe I can get him to teach me." With another grin she practically skipped out of the room.

She turned towards her guard. "I can make it the rest of the way on my own. FInd Bickslow before she does and inform him that he is not, under any condition, to show _anyone_ how to get through the maze." Lucy was sure she saw the guard's grin under his helmet as he nodded and turned to leave.

A sigh escaped her lips as she looked around the foyer. Soon, this would no longer be her home, and for a moment she allowed herself to feel sad about it. This was the home she had shared with her mom. This was the home she had met her tutors, met her friends. This was the home she'd met Erza and her spirits and learned how to use her magic. This was the home that she'd first dreamt of Natsu…

Tears pricked her eyes as she thought of him, but she kept them at bay. He hadn't returned since she'd seem him the night she'd kissed Gray and she didn't think she would again. The day after the wedding, she and Gray would be leaving for his home and she didn't know when she'd be back. The ache in her heart continued as she turned. She had to keep it together, for her father, for Gray, but most importantly, for herself. She was Lucy Anna Heartfilia, princess and sole heir of Fiore, the continent's strongest and most formidable country. She could handle this.

She started walking towards the solarium, her back straight, her head held high, a lump forming in her throat.

 _She could handle this_.


	32. Visit in the Amphitheater

**We're getting close guys. There will be three more parts after this and they will be** _ **long,**_ **so get ready for them. Thanks for those of you who have hung on this long. It's been fun.**

 **I own only the plot of this story.**

Almost an hour after meeting up with her wedding planner, Lucy was finally able to look for her friend. As she expected, Levy was pleading with Bickslow to teach her 'the ways of the maze', as she heard her friend call it.

"Sorry, but the princess forbid me from sharing the secret."

"Aw come on, you can tell _me_. We're best friends, she won't mind."

"What won't I mind?" Lucy asked as she revealed herself, feigning ignorance.

"Won't mind if Bickslow joins us for a walk!" Levy stood quickly as the guard chuckled. "Quiet you," she whispered.

"I'm up for a walk. Where do you want to go?"

"Oooo, can we go down to the amphitheater?" Levy asked, her eyes bright.

"Sure, if you want." The amphitheater wasn't her favorite place on the grounds, but Levy loved going there. It was the farthest piece of the castle grounds from the palace, hidden down a trail through a section of trees to the east. There was a second, less used path that led out to the front of the house to connect with the road, but it was mostly overgrown.

The stones that had been placed to create the seats and stage were still in relatively good shape, but grass and other plants grew between them due to lack of use. Levy skipped down the seats to the stage where she hopped up and immediately started to twirl around. Lucy followed more slowly as she watched her friend dance. Bickslow stopped to sit on back row of seats as Lucy moved towards the front to sit on the edge of the stage.

"I'm going to miss being able to come out here," Levy said with a sigh.

"You could still come out here if you'd like. I doubt my father would care; no one else comes out here except the gardener on occasion."

"It would be weird without you here."

Lucy shrugged. "You can always come out when I visit."

Her friend sighed, then came over to sit. "I can wait until you move back in."

Lucy blinked at her. "What?"

"I can wait until you come back. You mentioned that they were talking about combining the countries, right? This is the capital; why wouldn't you move back in here once they are combined and you're queen?"

As brown eyes glazed over, Lucy didn't say anything for a long moment. "I didn't even think about that."

Her friend laughed loudly. As she began to speak, Lucy zoned out again as she realized she could still see Natsu. Well, she could still see him if he ever showed up again. The spark of hope that had ignited was doused as she felt the inevitable loneliness that creeped up as she thought of the not-quite-dragon.

She felt a hand land on her shoulder and then she was being shaken. "Hey, Lu? Earthland to Lu."

Lucy blinked, scattering her errant thoughts. "Sorry, what was that?"

Levy's sigh was long and loud. "Lu, is this spacing out thing going to get better after the wedding?"

"I, uh, don't know," Lucy answered, feeling guilty.

"Well, I have a surprise for you," she sang, "and I think it's going to make you feel better!"

"Really? What is it?"

"I ran into a friend of yours a week ago and I got him invited to the party tonight _and_ the wedding! I had to run it past your wedding planner, but she found space for him to sit!"

"A friend? Who was it?"

"Oh no, I can't tell you that, it's a surprise!" Levy said with a wide grin.

"Uh, Levy? I don't know if you know this, but I don't have a lot of what I would call friends. You, Gray, Erza… you're about it. Maybe some of the staff? I guess Bickslow could be put in that category," she said, gesturing at the guard, who was relaxing in the shade, "but that's it."

"I don't know, I think you might be forgetting about someone. Someone from a _long_ time ago."

Lucy frowned, eyebrows puckering as she zoned out again. A friend from a long time ago? Who could she possibly mean?

"The only other person I can think of might be Gajeel, but I don't know if he would consider-" Lucy cut herself off. She'd seen the change in her friend, the subtle shift in her face and body as she'd said Gajeel's name. "You saw _Gajeel?!_ What was he doing in town?! Wait." She squinted at Levy. "You said _my_ friend. He was your friend, too."

Levy's smile had faded a little once Lucy figured out who she was talking about, but it bounced back at the accusation. "I was trying to throw you off. At any rate, he said he heard about the wedding from someone back home and wanted to come see. He told me he couldn't believe you two were 'shacking up'," she said, making air quotes. "He said he wouldn't believe it unless he saw it for himself."

"Are we really so incompatible?"

Levy shrugged. "I don't think so, but he has some weird ways of looking at the world. Honestly, I think it was just an excuse. I think he misses us."

"I could believe that. He was only here for two years, but if I remember correctly, that was one of his longer stays in one place by that point."

The corners of Levy's mouth turned down slightly. "I couldn't imagine living like that. I know my father travels a lot, but we move between the same towns and we stay in the same houses. I can still make friends and see then when I go back."

Lucy nodded. "So where is he staying? Why didn't you bring him with you today?"

"Well, _now_ he's staying with me. Initially he was going to stay at one of the hotels, but he didn't get here in time to reserve a room, so I offered him some space. As for why he didn't come, he said he needed to go into town to find something appropriate to wear to your wedding. Plus, I was _trying_ to keep him a secret," she said with a pout.

Lucy laughed. "Your poker face isn't enough to get past me, Levy, sorry."

They laughed together and talked for a while longer about nothing important until another guard joined them. Bickslow stood to talk to him, and then came to join the women as the other guard left.

"Sorry princess, but it sounds like there are a few people up at the castle waiting to talk to you."

"Did _no one_ get the memo that I wanted some free time this morning?"

The guard shrugged. "Apparently you weren't the only one this evening's party was sprung on last minute."

Lucy practically growled out loud. "My father can be so… _ugh_."

Levy snorted. "That's one way of putting it." She hopped down. "Let's go, Lu. Your people await."

After a long drawn out sigh, similar to Levy's earlier, she hopped down and began walking with her back to the castle arm in arm, with Bickslow moving to following them.

"When tomorrow is over," Lucy declared, "I am _never_ having another party _ever_ again."


	33. Revelations, Part 1

**Thanks for all the love guys! I always appreciate feedback in any form.**

 **I own only the plot of this story.**

"Scratch what I said earlier," Lucy mumbled. She dropped her forehead onto Levy's shoulder as she groaned. " _This_ is going to be my last party."

Levy giggled at her friend as they hid just outside the large dining room. They had finished the rehearsal about 10 minutes prior, and Levy had stayed with Lucy to help her change into a different dress for the dinner. She was in a deep purple floor length ball gown that sat off the shoulder with quarter sleeves. Levy's gown stopped just below the knee and was a bright orange that set off her hair. Her sleeves ended just under her elbows and there was a wide blue sash around her middle that was tied into a bow in the back. After they'd finished changing, they had made their way together to the hall.

Now that they'd made it to dinner, however, Lucy wasn't sure she wanted to stay. The hall was filled to the brim with people and Lucy couldn't figure out why her father would want to have such a large party the day before the nuptials. She had expected this size crowd at the wedding, but not at a rehearsal dinner.

"After the ceremony tomorrow, I'm taking Gray and we're leaving. I can't do this twice."

"Come on, Lu, you can do it. If not for yourself, do it for Gray."

Lucy made a noise in her throat as she edged farther around the door. At the head table on the _opposite_ end of the hall, much to Lucy's dismay, Gray was sitting next to two empty chairs. His mother, Ur, was next to him and Lucy's father sat next to her, along with a couple of men from his council. On the other side of her and Levy's empty seats sat Gajeel, looking bored and speaking to Gray. The arrangement seemed odd to her, but she supposed the planner had had few choices.

"Alright, I suppose we should get over there." Lucy and Levy managed to slip in quietly and make their way up to the head table. Just before they made it, though, Jude spotted them and rose to his feet. Gray and Ur both stood as well and Levy snickered as she slipped into her chair quickly next to Gajeel, who pulled it out for her.

"Attention everyone!" The king's voice rang out as Lucy finished making her way to Gray's side.

"Hey," he whispered quietly as he kissed her cheek.

"Hey." She glanced at her father, who was in full speech mode. "Did I miss anything?" They stood facing out at the crowd, but didn't pay much attention to the king's words.

"Not really. I've just been visiting with Gajeel."

"Isn't it great that he's here? I only just found out today that he was coming. It was supposed to be a surprise, but Levy is terrible at keeping secrets." She glanced out of the corner of her eye at Gray. His hair was its usual spiky mess, and his clothes were pressed and perfectly fitted in a dark navy that gave his black hair a blue tint when the light caught it just right. The white shirt underneath it was crisp as well, with one button left undone at his throat. He looked as handsome as ever, but she noticed the stubble on his jaw and the dark circles under his eyes.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Of course," he said, turning his eyes her way for a moment. "Why do you ask?"

"You look-"

"So let us raise our glasses!" Jude said, turning towards the couple, who both smiled at the king. "To the union of two great families, and two great countries!" The entire hall toasted, and as they returned to their seats, waiters began coming out of every door, weighed down with plate after plate of food.

As plates were distributed at the head table, Gray squeezed her with a smile before turning towards his mother.

Lucy decided to leave him alone for the moment and leaned back in her chair to see around Levy. "Gajeel, it's great to see you again!"

He wore a sharp looking black suit with some sort of accent on his right shoulder made of what looked to be feathers. Combined with his long black hair, which was pulled back in a ponytail, he pulled off the unusual look surprisingly well.

"You look really different all grown up," she added.

"You do, too," he responded in a deep voice, "and it's good to be back. I have to admit, I was a little surprised when I heard about the wedding."

"I'm surprised you came out to celebrate with us," Gray said from over Lucy's shoulder. _That was a short conversation_ , Lucy thought. He was definitely trying not to talk about his exhaustion.

Gajeel shrugged. "I happened to be passing through."

"Liar." Levy didn't look his way as she took a drink, so she missed the glare Gajeel gave her. "At any rate, I'm glad we're all together again!"

"I am, too. It'll be nice to catch up," Lucy added, digging into her food.

The friends spent the entirety of the meal talking and laughing as the rest of the crowd ate and socialized around them. Gray occasionally turned to speak to his mother, but she always waved him off, content to watch the party in silence. As the dessert was being brought out and the other dishes were being cleaned up, Lucy noticed a table near to theirs begin to empty. As four people stood up Lucy felt her jaw drop as she reached over and grabbed Levy's arm. "It's them."

"What's up, Lu?"

How had she missed them this whole time? Had her friends distracted her so thoroughly? "Levy, it's them. It's the Fairy Tails."

Levy looked where her friend was staring and laughed. "Of course it is, why do you sound so surprised?"

"They were only supposed to be here for the wedding tomorrow."

"I pulled a few strings," Gray said from her other side. His smile widened when he saw the shock and happiness on her face. "I know the manager. I convinced him to get them here a day early so they could play tonight as well."

"Gray, that's amazing! Thank you!" She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

"Don't thank me, you should thank him for making it happen." As she pulled away, Gray looked over her head. "Thanks again, Gajeel."

" _What?"_ both Levy and Lucy practically squealed as they turned his way.

"Wait, _you_ are the Fairy Tails' manager?" Levy asked, shocked.

Gajeel shrugged, but his mouth turned up in a grin. "I got bored being in one place too long, so when the opportunity to travel presented itself, I couldn't say no."

"You've been staying with me for a _week_ and you never told me?"

His grin widened. "You never asked what I did for work."

Lucy laughed loudly, drawing her friend's attention. "And you thought _you_ were the one with the great surprise."

* * *

It wasn't long before the group finished with dessert and moved on to the ballroom. Once most of the guests had followed, the king gave yet another speech. When he tried to have the couple do the first dance, Lucy had immediately spoken over her father and encouraged everyone to dance and have a good time. Gajeel had taken her cue and the band started their first song before her father could get another word in.

Lucy was distracted for a moment as she looked up at the stage at her favorite music group. The Fairy Tails had four members who traveled together from country to country, and they were highly sought after for any and all occasions. The most striking of their group was their lead singer, Mira Jane. She was as beautiful as she was talented, and as she opened her mouth to start the first song, Lucy got goosebumps hearing her voice in person for the first time. Her brother, Elfman, was the lead guitarist, and he stood right next to her on stage. Both had long, white blonde hair and startling blue eyes, but while his sister was beautiful in a dainty way, Elman was all man, tall with sharp edges and thick muscle. In Lucy's opinion, it was a little too much, but he had many female followers so she supposed that was a good look to many people. The other two in the band weren't as showy, but were equally talented. Jet was a lean man with red hair who played the drums, his movements sometimes so quick, you couldn't follow them. Droy, the bassist, didn't demand much attention on stage, but the chords he played quietly carried the rest of the song in a way that made it feel necessary but not overwhelming.

As Levy drifted off in the direction of the band's stage, Gray held out an arm to Lucy. "May I have this dance?"

She smiled up at him as she nodded. They danced together speaking of little things to first one, then two, and then three songs. The familiarity they shared made it easy to drown out the party around them, and for a while, Lucy forgot about her troubles. As yet another song ended, Gray pulled them to the edge of the dance floor. "Do you want something to drink? I'm going to take a quick break and check on my mother. A majority of my guests decided not to join us tonight so she's spending most of this party alone."

"Go and say hi, I'll be okay. I'm sure I'll be asked to dance by more than one person tonight, so I won't get lonely." As she spoke, a man came to stop at her side and bowed her way, proving her correct. Gray quickly kissed her hand and then moved away.

"Princess," the man said as he stood fully again. "May I have this dance?" As Lucy met his eyes, she felt her smile slip slightly. The man in front of her was older and seemed pleasant enough, but something about him made her uncomfortable. The feeling was similar to the one she'd gotten when she'd met the man who kidnapped her. The thought sent a shiver through her entire body but looking around, she silently scolded herself. This wasn't like back then. They were in a public place, surrounded by people. She was fine, there was no reason for her to feel so uncomfortable. Everyone here was someone her father had invited, so they had to be trustworthy, right?

She realized she had been silent for a few moments as he raised an eyebrow at her. "I'm sorry, of course." She put her hand in his. "I'm afraid I don't remember you. Have we met before?"

"Once," he said as he pulled her onto the floor. "It's been a long time, though. You were very young the last time I was able to visit. I'm King Jose Porla of Caelum."

Caelum was a country far to the south, on the other side of the Dark Woods. It surprised her, since the distance would make trade and other dealings hard to maintain. "I apologize, I wasn't aware my father had worked with your country."

"As I said, it was a long time ago." The smile he gave her was just a little too creepy for her liking. "I'm glad I came, though. You really have grown up well," he said as his eyes moved across her figure. _Great. He's a pervert._ It was only one song, she could get through this.

"Yes, well, that is why children do. How was your trip? I know it can be a pain to come north with the Dark Woods being off limits." Lucy silently scolded herself for bringing up the place. Immediately, Natsu's face filled her mind and she had to force it aside and focus in on her partner's words.

"... so it really wasn't so bad."

"I'm glad to hear it." Over his shoulder, she saw her father approaching. Before Jose could say anything else, the king put a hand on the man's shoulder.

"Excuse me, Jose, I haven't had a chance to spend any time with my daughter yet tonight and this is one of our favorite songs. Would you mind if I cut in?"

"Of course," Jose said, bowing towards her father. He smiled at her before he turned away. "I'm sure we will meet again later."

Her father stepped in, turning her slightly so he could watch the retreating man. "Father?" He looked down at her for only a moment to acknowledge her. "You don't even know this song."

"I know, but I don't want you socializing with that man."

Lucy's shoulders tensed at his words but she forced them to relax. "Father, he's just a guest."

"He's dangerous."

"If you didn't want him here, why did you invite him?"

"I didn't."

Lucy watched his face, noticing the anger that was quietly banked in his eyes. "What kind of business did you have with him?"

"Business that doesn't concern you. I'd advise that you don't have any dealings with him once you take up the throne. He is very resourceful, but he doesn't always keep things above table, if you understand. I only worked with him once, and he's been hard to shake ever since." As the song ended, he squeezed her hand. "Please try to keep your distance." Then he walked away.

As the band started another song, she decided to take a break and moved towards the refreshment table. After getting herself some punch, and a cup for Levy, who was still by the stage, she turned and found herself in front of a familiar face. "Erza! I'm so glad you came!"

Her tutor was wearing a long red dress with a slit on one side up to her knee. The sleeves were made of a gauzy fabric and covered her shoulders and arms down to the elbow. The top was cut in a shallow v and a beautiful pearl choker covered most of her neck. Lucy's eyes widened as she looked her up and down. "You look amazing."

"You look pretty great yourself, Lucy." Erza grabbed her own drink and moved to follow the blonde towards the stage. "Why didn't you mention this party to me sooner? I almost couldn't find a dress for tonight." Lucy had had to cancel her plans with Erza earlier in the day to meet with the cook about the menu. Prior to that, Erza hadn't known about the party either.

"Father only told me about it this morning." She sighed. "I really wish he hadn't planned it. I was hoping to make it an early night so I could rest for tomorrow."

They made it to Levy as Erza made a sympathetic noise. "Oh, hey guys! Thanks," Levy said as she took the cup Lucy offered her. Gajeel was sitting next to her, sorting through sheet music and other papers.

"Aren't you going to dance Levy?" Erza asked.

"Eventually. I was helping Gajeel with the song list."

"Shorty made some good points, so I told her she could help me if she wanted."

"Don't call me Shorty," Levy said without malice. "Not all of us grew up to be goliaths. I am a perfectly good height."

He grinned at her as he put a couple more pages into the pile he was working on. After standing to place the list on a small podium near the band, he reached over and grabbed Levy's hand. "Alright Shorty, let's see how well your 'perfectly good height' can keep up then."

Before she could respond, Levy was gone, being led through the crowd by Gajeel.

"Huh." Erza smiled to herself as she watched the pair move. "I didn't expect that."

"Expect what?" Lucy asked.

"Nothing," Erza answered waving her hand. "Where is Gray? Aren't you two suppose to be dancing together?"

"He went to find his mom and talk to her for a bit. What about you? Shouldn't you be out there dancing, too?"

"Excuse me." Lucy turned towards the voice that interrupted them to find one of her father's advisors. "Princess, would you mind terribly if I had this dance?"

"Of course," she said with a small. "I'll see you later Erza." The red head waved as she moved away from the stage and Lucy was led onto the dancefloor.

After several more songs, and several more dances with her father's advisors, she found herself paired up once again with her fiance.

"So, how is it going?" she asked as he twirled her around.

"It's going alright," he said, but he sounded tired. She noted again that he wasn't as clean shaved as usual, and his eyelids were droopy.

"You look tired."

He grimaced. "It's been a busy couple of weeks. Getting back in time for tonight was no easy feat."

"I told my father this was a bad idea. I don't understand why he was so insistent on having a party tonight. Tomorrow's would have been enough of a celebration."

Gray shrugged. "As long as you're happy, I can put up with a few short nights of sleep. Besides, after tomorrow, he can't boss you around, right?"

Lucy smiled as she moved closer to Gray to rest her head on his shoulder. "You're right." Whatever problems Lucy expected in their marriage, she knew she could at least count on Gray to understand her. While they may not have romantic feelings for eachother, they were good friends, and that could grow into more with time. She just had to be patient.

They finished the dance in silence, then moved off the dance floor towards the refreshment table.

"Gray!" Before Lucy could react, she was being pushed aside as a woman with blue hair in a long blue dress threw her arms around Gray. He looked slightly annoyed as he pried the woman's arms off him.

"Juvia, how many times do I have to ask you to stop doing that?" Gray pushed her fully away from himself before taking Lucy's hand again.

The woman lowered her eyes. "I'm sorry, Gray, I was just so excited to see you, I couldn't help myself." Lucy was a little startled by the look the woman gave Gray as she raised her eyes again. She was obviously enamored with her fiance; it was a little off putting, if she was honest.

Gray squeezed her hand as he pulled her closer. "Juvia, I'd like you to meet my fiance, Princess Lucy Heartfilia of Fiore. Lucy, this is a family friend of mine, Juvia Lockser."

Juvia's expression immediately hardened as she looked at Lucy. "So this is my rival? She's not really all that pretty."

Lucy blinked rapidly. "Excuse me?"

"Enough Juvia. How many times do we have to talk about this?"

Lucy looked between the two. "I'm confused."

"Humph." Juvia turned her nose up. "Whatever you say, Gray, I don't believe that you will marry her. You'll see soon enough that you've made a mistake." She threw her arms around one of Gray's and began dragging him off onto the dance floor. "Come on, you owe me a dance."

Gray didn't look pleased, but he went with her. "I'll be back soon, Lucy."

Lucy watched them leave, more confused that she'd been in a while. "Okay?"

"Sorry about Juvia." Gray's mother, Ur, stopped next to her. "She can be a little over the top when it comes to Gray."

"Hello, Ur. Sorry I haven't had a chance to say hi yet."

"It's alright, I know it's been a busy day for you," she said with a soft smile.

"Does that mean you know why Juvia called me her rival? I don't even know what we'd be fighting over."

Gray," she answered, "but it's not really a fight, since you're marrying him tomorrow. Juvia is the daughter of a friend of mine. The two of them only met a couple years ago, but she's been smitten with him from the beginning. Honestly, I had expected that once her intensity died down some, he would eventually ask her to marry him. Not that I am bothered by his choice," she added, smiling at Lucy. "I think you two are going to have a very happy marriage. One built on friendship can be just as strong, if not stronger, than one built on love."

Lucy didn't know how to answer as she watched Gray and Juvia dance. The two moved together very well, and the look in Juvia's eyes as she looked up at Gray was so warm and happy Lucy felt her stomach churn just a little. _That was what she wanted for Gray. Someone who was so obviously smitten._

"Don't worry," Ur said, misreading Lucy's unease. "Juvia won't do anything crazy once you're married. While you two may not ever be the best of friends, she's not the type to try and break up a marriage."

"Lucy! Get over here!" Levy waved at her from a ways across the ballroom where she stood with Erza and Gajeel.

"I'm sorry Ur, would you excuse me?"

"Of course." The older woman surprised her by pulling her in for a hug. "I'm very happy for you two, Lucy. I hope you guys will be happy together. Now." She urged the younger woman towards her friends. "Go have fun."

"Thank you," Lucy said as she swallowed the lump in her throat and walked towards her friends. When the song was over, Gray and Juvia came over to join them as well. For a while the group just talked and everything was calm as the party continued on around them.

* * *

After a few songs, Lucy excused herself from the group to go use the restroom. When she came back out, she paused at the end of the hall, half hidden by a large tapestry on the wall. She watched as people moved around the ballroom, dancing and having a good time. The hall would look the same the following day, but the dresses on the women would be more extravagant, the suits on the men more grand, and she would be in a white dress, the center of attention. It was still hard to believe, if she was honest with herself. She scanned the room, but her eyes froze when they made it halfway down the opposite wall.

 _No… How could this be?… How did he get in here?_

She'd caught sight of a man, currently speaking to someone she didn't know. He had spiky pink hair and dark eyes, and his entire outfit was slightly disarrayed. _He was missing a jacket, his sleeves were rolled up and the buttons on his vest were undone, as well as a couple on the top of his shirt._ She felt her heart beat a little harder as she watched him laugh at something the man said. _Suddenly, he looked at her._ Across the dance floor, through all the moving bodies, his eyes found hers like a magnet. _After a moment, he smiled at her._

 _Natsu was here!_

She couldn't separate the dream from the reality, wasn't sure this _was_ reality. Why here? Why _now?_ She'd been waiting for him to come back for days and he had finally shown up, but why was he in public? Why was he _socializing?_

 _Oh no…_ Lucy felt her stomach drop as she realized Levy and Erza would eventually see him. She'd described Natsu in enough detail they were bound to recognize him. She had to get him out of there, but how?

Suddenly, she was yanked behind the tapestry she had be hiding near. " _Lucy_ ," a voice hissed, sounding suspiciously like Levy. " _Did you see who's here?"_

Lucy swallowed and tried to speak normally. "Who do you mean?"

Erza slid in behind the tapestry swiftly to stand on the other side of Levy. "Hey you two, have either of you noticed-"

"That Lucy's dream man is here? Yes!" Levy raised her hands to her face in excitement. "Lucy, you _have_ to go talk to him!"

"Don't you think that's a- oh, I don't know- _terrible_ idea?" she asked, trying to buy time while she came up with a plan.

"Why do you say that?"

"If you'll recall, I was basically in love with that man in my dreams."

"Lucy's right," Erza added. "She's going to marry Gray tomorrow; it might be weird for her to speak with the living embodiment of her dream man. Even so, Lucy, it might be a good idea to talk to him. I still think we should figure out why you've been dreaming about him without knowing him."

Lucy didn't correct her as she stuck her head out again to look for Natsu. She scanned the room twice before she realized he was missing. The other two did the same on the other side before they moved out of hiding. "Aw, we lost him," Levy whined.

A tingle started on the back of Lucy's neck and then spread across her back. She scanned the room once more, but some instinct told her that he wasn't in the room anymore.

"I'll be back guys. I'm going to go get some air." Lucy waved at the girls as she followed the tug she felt leading her out one of the big doors onto the deck. She smiled at a few people as she passed by them, promising to talk to them later. When she finally made it outside, she instinctively knew she had to go left. As she made it to the end of the deck, she went down the stairs and moved farther into the garden. She followed the path around the big tree and into one of the more hidden areas of the garden. As she entered the space, she felt a presence before Natsu threw his arms around her. Lucy's arms found their way around him as tears threatened to fall from her eyes. "Natsu…"

"I missed you," he whispered as his arms crushed her in an embrace.

They didn't move for a while, but eventually Lucy pulled back so she could wipe at the tears that had escaped. "I have so many questions." She looked him up and down. "Where did you get those clothes? I don't recognize them, and they look new."

"Well, there are some stores open in your town after nightfall, so I took advantage of them. I had a fairly large stash of money so it wasn't hard to afford something new. What do you think?"

Honestly, he looked amazing, even in his somewhat rumpled state. Ever since the dreams had started, she'd always been fond of the more casual look. "You look great."

His answering smile made her insides twist and her heart threatened to beat right out of her chest. "You look pretty great yourself."

She knew she was blushing, but she ignored it. "I saw you talking with some of the people inside," she said, trying to change the subject. "You looked like you were doing alright. I was surprised."

"Well, that took some time, but I spent quite a few nights in town just listening to people talk. I didn't want to embarass you, or risk getting thrown out before I was able to find you."

"You came into town?"

Natsu nodded, noticing the hurt in her eyes. "I'm sorry I didn't come visit. I… I was upset, about a lot of things." He scratched the back of his head, an obvious sign he was uncomfortable. "I initially came back to apologize for being so aggressive with you after telling you I was… well, you know." In the pale light from the stars and moon she was almost certain he was blushing. "When I came back I saw you in the garden and when you kissed that man, I, uh, kinda lost it."

"What do you mean, lost it?"

"Well, I don't know if it's memories or just something I know from being a dragon for so long, but dragons mate for life and they're extremely protective of their mates." He refused to meet her eyes as he began to pace. "When I saw you kissing that guy, my mind just shut off and all I wanted to do was jump him and rip out his throat for touching you. I managed to keep a grip on myself enough so I didn't reveal myself, but I couldn't risk staying around afterwards."

"Wait… are you saying you think I'm your mate?"

Natsu looked up at her with a somewhat panicked expression. "I don't expect anything from you, okay? I know you don't feel that way about me and I'm just here to fix our friendship. I'm just looking for friends, but, uh…" He looked sheepishly at her. "Yeah. I think you're my mate."

He started pacing again as she stared at him. "I know I'm not a real dragon, or at least probably not a real dragon, but whatever this spell or curse or whatever this is that I have, it has a strong hold on me. I'm also pretty sure you're the key to getting my memories back, which might explain the possessiveness, but I don't know for sure. Things have been different since I met you. I'm more emotional, less cold, and I've been thinking about the fact that I use to kill people, and _I'm_ people…" Natsu shook his head, continuing to pace. "I feel more comfortable as a human than I ever did and I can't just attribute that to the fact I've been spending more time as a human. I _feel_ more human, even when I'm a dragon." He paused in front of her, giving her a chance to respond.

"That… actually makes sense." She thought back to the new attachment she felt to Natsu. She'd felt empty without him around, and now that he was there, she felt complete for the first time in days. Then there were the feelings she'd gotten that had led her out here to find him…

She was still uncertain, though. "I still can't shake the feeling that you're only feeling these things because of the curse and not because of me."

 _Even if it was her, she had Gray to consider._ That thought hit her like a bucket of ice water. She was getting married tomorrow. She couldn't think like this about another man. Gray was going to be her husband, they were going to combine their countries, they were going to lead together. There wasn't room for a dragon, mate or not.

"It doesn't matter," Natsu said as he took her hands. "Like I said, I'm only here to be friends. I want to be a part of your life, however you want that to be. I just want you to be happy."

 _Damn it_. Lucy felt the tears forming in her eyes. He was so sincere, so earnest in his desire to be there for her. _They're both being so chivalrous, she couldn't take it. Both of them was trying so hard to be there for her, just trying to make her happy. She didn't deserve them, either of them. Why had she been born a princess? If she'd just been born a commoner, this would be so much easier. She wasn't worth the effort they were putting in for her and she hated how terrible it made her feel_.

"Natsu." Lucy took a deep breath and looked up just in time to see Natsu get hit in the side of the head. Before she could do anything, a hand came down over her mouth, hard. She tried to struggle, but whoever had her was much stronger than she was. The man who'd knocked out Natsu came over and helped grab her as the two pulled her further into the shadows. Natsu was still lying motionless as Lucy lost sight of him.

"Sorry, princess, but I'm afraid that's enough party time for you."

Lucy felt sick as she realized it was Jose who had her. She continued to try and struggle, but the two men had a firm hold on her. They were making their way as quietly as they could away from the castle. It took her a minute to figure out that they were taking her towards the amphitheater. _If they made it that far, no one would be able to stop them. Even with the path to the road overgrown, they would be able to get her to the road easily enough and take her away._ She renewed her efforts, trying to break free, until the man with Jose punched her in the stomach. With the breath knocked out of her, she found that all she could do was focus on breathing and stopped resisting. "Sorry about this, my dear, but this would have been easier on you if the man I'd sent the first time had done his job." _Mr. Bensley_ , she realized after a moment. _He was the one who'd hired Mr. Bensley to kidnap her_.

As they made it into the clearing, Lucy noticed briefly that the space was much more beautiful, in an eerie way, in the moonlight. They brought her over to the stage and laid her down next to a bag. The second man opened the bag with one hand and began pulling out rope and other supplies.

Jose smiled down at her as she tried to fight again, still weakened significantly. She had her keys, but she would have to free her hands to get to where they were strapped to her thigh. The other man started by tying her legs together, making Lucy frantic. _She couldn't let them tie her legs_. Before she could do anything, a dark shape flew out of the shadows, colliding with the second man. The two bodies bounced a few times before both made it to their feet.

Natsu had morphed slightly. His shirt and vest were stretched over his body, slightly ripped where his wings had broken free. His pants were in a similar state and his shoes were gone. His transformation looked similar to the first time he'd shown her his human form, with a notable exception. His usual dark onyx eyes were on fire, a bright yellow light glowing from within. The other man pulled daggers out from within his clothes and then ran at Natsu, who charged in return.

"I see you've got yourself a little pet," Jose whispered, trying not to distract the other pair. He was still attempting to tie her hands together with one hand. When she tried once more to fight back, his fingers dug cruelly into her wrists, causing her to gasp. The noise distracted Natsu enough that the other man was able to cut him across his arm, but Natsu was faster than him. As the blade cut connected with a patch of skin, Natsu used the momentum of dodging to bring his foot up and connected with the side of the man's head. There was a sickening crack as the man was thrown across the stage, but the half-dragon ignored it and turned towards Jose.

"You're an interesting fellow," Jose said conversationally. "Tell me, are you a man who's part dragon, or a dragon who's part man? You're certainly a mix of them, I'm just curious which way it goes."

Natsu didn't respond. Instead, he leaned down and then launched himself at Jose. With surprising speed, the older man raised the hand not holding onto Lucy's hands and a dark purple shadow sprouted from the palm, hitting Natsu in the chest. The shot changed Natsu's trajectory and he flew over the pair and landed hard against the first row of seats.

"Natsu!" Lucy tried again to move, but suddenly ropes of the same dark purple began twisting themselves around her, holding her down and covering her mouth. Even though there was no weight to the bonds, they didn't budge when she wiggled and she couldn't speak through the one over her mouth. Royals weren't supposed to have magic! Apparently she wasn't the only exception.

Natsu rolled onto all fours as he glared at Jose. "That was a hard landing. Are you okay?" Jose asked pleasantly. The pink haired man charged again, dodging a ball of purple cast at him, but before he could land a blow, a large disk appeared in his way again and he slammed into it. He lifted into the air and tried to dive at the man from another angle, but the magical barrier moved once more to intercept him. He tried a few more times, but couldn't reach the man. As he landed on the buffer directly over Jose's head, he tried attacking it with his fists and claws, attempting to break through. After a moment, Natsu felt his skin burn where it touched the magic and he used his wings to lift into the air again.

"Sorry about that, maybe I should have warned you. My magic is rather painful and it sucks away the life of whoever it touches. Unless, of course, I don't want it to," he said as he gestured at Lucy. "I'm afraid we're at a bit of an impasse. I know you wouldn't like it if we were discovered here, because that would mean that people would see you. I would really rather not be discovered either, for what I would assume are obvious reasons."

He grinned maliciously up at Natsu. "For now, I think it's your move."

Natsu took a breath and breathed fire at the other man from his place in the sky. In order to avoid accidently hitting Lucy, he was forced to aim at the man's feet, so he dodged it easily. For a while they seemed to dance together, dodging eachother's blows and then sending out their own attack. Natsu tried to get the man to move away from Lucy, but no matter how he dodged, he never left Lucy's side.

Natsu started flying around the man, making him spin in a circle to keep the half-dragon in sight. When Jose's eyes briefly left his to check his position to Lucy, Natsu dove straight at the man, claws out. He slammed into a wall of purple at the very last second, but his momentum continued as his tail whipped around the barrier into the side of Jose's face. The man stumbled, but two dull beams of purple shot from his hands knocked Natsu to the ground before he could take advantage of the hit. He bounced a couple times as Jose moved to stand next to Lucy again. There was a thin trickle of blood on the side of his face and the pleasant look on his face was now mixed with annoyance.

"Come now, dragon man, do you really think this is the best solution?" The man's tone had taken on an edge as he covered his hands in purple energy. "I assure you, I am not someone to trifle with."

Natsu charged, his own hands covered in fire, to punch the man, but Jose blocked him. Even though Natsu had the advantage of flight, he couldn't seem to connect with a single strike, and it was all he could do to dodge the blows thrown at him in return. Eventually, Natsu found an opening, digging his claws into Jose's side, but he quickly realized his mistake as Jose grinned and viciously connected with his chest. The blow knocked him back and into the air before he crashed to the ground. He felt weak and his wings refused to work. As he managed to get back onto his knees, Jose laughed, seemingly unphased by the wound in his side. "Thank you, man dragon. It has been a long time since I've fought such a worthy opponent."

Then he moved, almost quicker than Natsu could follow, and Jose was raining blows down on his body. The wizard's magic began to take its toll, making Natsu feel weaker and weaker with every blow. He ignored the blows the best he could as he took a deep breath, and as Jose pulled out a dagger from his belt, Natsu roared into the other man's face. Jose moved away, but he was fully covered in the fire for a brief moment before he managed to create a barrier around himself.

As Natsu finally managed to find his feet again, he looked at Lucy. She seemed okay at the moment, despite being tied up, but he was afraid if he wasn't quick enough to take out the other man, he might do something to hurt her. Despite his physical weakness, the bonded dragon in him was burning full force and he had to fight to maintain his composure so he could come up with a plan. There had to be something he could do.

Before he could act, more purple flew at him and he struggled to dodge the attacks. Digging deep, he fanned at his lagging strength and stoked his inner fire. He would not be beat like this. Lucy was depending on him. He couldn't back down. Natsu coated his body in fire, and slowly but surely, he felt his body strengthen and the exhaustion fading.

Jose had moved away again, back to Lucy's side before waving off the shield. As a volley of purple exploded from the man, Natsu took to the air again, dodging. This went on for some time, annoying Natsu as he continued to try and come up with a plan.

Jose sent a concentrated volley at him as he flew directly overhead, but he spun around the beams. "What's the matter, false dragon? Don't you want to save your little woman?"

 _Deep breath, Natsu. Don't let him rile you up._

Jose squinted at him for a moment and then smiled, a sinister grin that made Natsu feel uneasy. "I don't think you're giving this fight your all, half dragon. Maybe you need some more… motivation."

Suddenly, Lucy's bindings constricted and began to glow brighter. As they did, Lucy's eyes closed and she squirmed, obviously in distress. Natsu bolted in her direction, trying to get to her, but he was rebuffed by another large purple disk. "I'm afraid you're going to have to do better than that, half man."

Natsu looked over his shoulder briefly. They were still too close to the castle but also too far. If he left to get help, Jose would get away. If he tried to call for someone, he wasn't sure anyone would hear, and Jose might hurt Lucy more if he did. If he turned into a dragon he was certain he could win, but someone would surely spot him.

Lucy twisted more as her bindings grew brighter, and he could hear her muffled screams. " _Stop it_ ," Natsu hissed.

Jose's grin grew as Lucy's bindings grew brighter still. _Don't react, don't give in. He won't kill her._ _ **Think Natsu.**_ When Lucy opened her eyes, finally, there were tears in her eyes. She slammed them shut as her body arched and a single tear ran down her cheek. The sight caused Natsu's brain to shut down. He stopped thinking, stopped considering his choices; his instincts took over and his whole being focused on one thing- saving Lucy.

A roar ripped its way out of his throat and the amphitheater filled with a sudden heat wave as Natsu ballooned into his full dragon form. Dark smoke billowed from his nose and mouth and his eyes glowed so bright he cast shadows across the ground.

Jose stepped back, surprise written all over his face. "I didn't expect that," he murmured. Before the man could do anything else, Natsu swung around and slammed his tail down. Jose put up a barrier but in this form, Natsu was too strong for him, too crazed at this point and he easily broke through it, barely missing the man as he rolled out of the way. The tail swept across the small space, slamming Jose into the side of the stage. As he collided with the stone, most of the bindings on Lucy vanished.

"Natsu, stop!" she called as she struggled to sit.

The dragon didn't seem to hear her as he reached over and grabbed the man. Jose coated himself in the purple magic, but even as it began to burn bright in the night, Natsu wasn't affected by it. He squeezed the man, causing his to grunt and cry out in pain. The last of the binds on Lucy vanished and she quickly got to her feet and moved to Natsu's side. "Natsu, please stop! Please! This isn't you, you're not a killer." The dragon continued to stare at the man as he held him tight. He was struggling less, his eyes still open but not focused. "Please, let him go. We can bring him back to the castle, let the authorities take care of him."

When the dragon still wouldn't listen to him, Lucy jumped off the stage to stand next to him. "Natsu, damn it, look at me you idiot!"

As the dragon's eyes moved her way, they softened considerably. The fire in his eyes dimmed as he looked down at her. His grip on the man lessened some as Lucy moved forward to put her hands on his leg. "Natsu, let him go."

Natsu growled. "He hurt you." His neck uncoiled as he lowered his head next to her. He studied her burnt clothing, saw patches of angry red skin and his eyes began to glow brighter. She quickly moved next to him, leaning into his face near his eye.

"You saved me Natsu. I'm okay. Please, let him go. The investigator looking for him is here. We can hand him over to the right people and they can take care of his punishment, okay?" She was certain she heard something crack above her, but she tried to ignore it. " _Please_ , Natsu. You're not a killer, you're a good person. You don't have to do this. Please, for me, let him go."

The fire in his eyes lessened slowly as she looked into his eye. Eventually he sighed and lowered the hand holding Jose. When it was still several feet above the stage, he dropped the man, who gasped as he landed. Natsu nuzzled against Lucy for a brief moment before he moved away from her and shrunk back down again.

When he was back to the same size he'd been when he entered, covered mostly in scales but human shaped, he moved quickly to secure Jose. As he worked, Lucy felt her legs give out from under her. She hurt everywhere, and while the weakness she'd felt as the magic had been working on her had mostly faded, she was still exhausted.

When Natsu was done, he moved towards Lucy, falling to his knees in front of her. "Lucy, are you okay?"

She lifted her head so she could see him. He looked so worried as he reached for her hands. He studied her clothes and her skin, and his face grew dark with anger the longer he looked. She lifted a hand to place it on his cheek. His expression instantly changed as he looked into her eyes again. "Natsu."

Lucy's vision blurred as tears welled in her eyes. He had risked being caught to save her. No, risk wasn't the right word. Distantly, she could hear shouts from the garden and the clanging of armor. He had known he would get caught, and he had done it anyway. She let her eyes roam over his body, seeing the scales, his tail, the horns on top of his head. Her eyes stopped on his as she felt the tears start to flow. "You shouldn't have… you shouldn't have saved me."

She could see him swallow, but his expression softened as he smiled at her and then shrugged. "I had no choice. I told you, you're my mate. No matter what that means for you, for me, it means that I would do anything to protect you."

Lucy could hear the voices getting closer now. "Change back," she pleaded. "Or fly away. Please, before they get here."

"I can't. I tried earlier, but I don't have enough left in me to finish changing. It's hard enough staying in this form. Between the shifting and the magic he used, I just don't have the energy to fly."

So that was strain she could see on his face. "I'm sorry, Lucy," he whispered, looking even more upset, but still smiling for her. "I'm afraid we might not be able to continue to be friends.

A sob escaped Lucy and Natsu pulled her to him to hug her. He wasn't as warm as he usually was, and his arms weren't as tight around her as she would have liked. He sighed, and she could hear the extent of his exhaustion in that one sound.

"I won't accept that" Over his shoulder, she saw light flickering in the path, growing brighter as it got closer. Lucy's hand was still on his cheek and she could feel it growing damp with his tears.

"I'll miss you." His voice was barely audible.

That hole inside her, the one that had tormented her since the night Natsu had proposed, the one that had filled at the sight of him in the ballroom earlier in the evening, the one that had threatened to overflow as she'd hugged him in the garden, the one that had felt incomplete every time she thought about spending the rest of her life with Gray, exploded. Whatever the cause of their bond, whatever relationship her relative had had with Natsu before he was cursed, she knew it didn't matter to her anymore. She'd hid behind the convenient excuse as a way to fight and ignore the feelings that had started to grow for the dragon savior turned cursed friend.

While he had done some questionable things in the past, he had done those as a dragon trying to protect himself. He had saved her, protected her, and while he had initially been greedy and tried to keep her, he had eventually let her go home. She didn't blame him for wanting a friend and didn't blame him for the deal he'd coerced her into.

He was a good person, kind and considerate, passionate about things that mattered, and willing to admit he made mistakes. If Lucy was honest with herself, she knew she'd been falling in love with him for a while. It had been inevitable.

He had treated her differently than any person she'd ever met before, outside of her friends. Instead of fear or reverence, he'd spoken to her as an equal. As someone with ideas and opinions that mattered. He hadn't been afraid to speak his mind and hadn't made her feel uncomfortable about expressing herself in return. When he had visited, he hadn't expected anything from her. One night he had visited and she'd been so tired, he had spent his short visit helping to make her more comfortable so that she could sleep. He hadn't demanded her attention, hadn't expected anything, he had laid down next to her and rubbed her back to help her fall asleep. He'd always shown up with a smile and a laugh, willing to do whatever she was up for, even if it meant his visit was cut short so she could sleep.

She had grown to love him while he had undoubtedly been doing the same.

Lucy knew she only had a few moments before the guards arrived. Realizing she didn't care even if they did see, she put her free hand on his other cheek. She only had one chance and she was going to take it.

She pulled Natsu's face up so she could look into his eyes. The light from the moon and stars reflected back perfectly in his black eyes. His face was scratched and scuffed from his fight, but it didn't detract from how handsome he was. His expression was a mix of regret and confusion as she stared into the depths she'd been seeing for so long in her dreams.

Lucy tugged his face towards hers and she saw a spark of realization on his face as she closed her eyes and met his mouth with her own. His lips were soft and smooth and so warm as they carefully moved against hers. The tears came faster for Lucy as she realized it felt just like it had in her dreams. Natsu's hands found their way to her back and he carefully, oh so carefully, pulled her to him. The tears flowed faster for both of them as they sought comfort in each other's arms.

Suddenly, sound filled the air around them. Wind whipped at their clothes and fire swirled in air around them, creating a small vortex of heat. Lucy gasped as she pulled away and Natsu threw his arms around her to protect her. The heat grew and grew, and the wind made it impossible to move. After a while, neither could even open their eyes against the heat, although near felt any pains or burns. After some time, a few moments or hours, they couldn't be sure, it stopped. They carefully pulled away and realized they were surrounded by light. It was so bright, neither of them could see more than a faint outline of each other. They reached out for the other, and as their hands met, everything went black.


	34. Revelations, Part 2

**Only one more part to go! That one is a doozy, so hang on to your hats, kids.**

 **To Ikrani: I hope Gajeel wasn't too disappointing. I had several little scenes I cut that had him doing a little more and Jellal was going to make an appearance with Erza, but with time constraints and the length, it just started to feel too busy.**

 **I own only the plot of this story.**

 _It was dark, even though his eyes were open. Natsu could hear sounds around him… chains?_

 _There were chains on his wrists and ankles. In front of him somewhere was a voice, chanting quietly. He didn't understand the words, but the tone made him wary. He was so tired…_

 _Had he fallen asleep? It was still dark, but the ground beneath him felt different. Rougher. Before it had felt like smooth bricks; now it was uneven stone and there were smaller rocks digging into his side. The chains were still on him, but there was no voice. Slowly, he rolled so that he was on his knees. Lowering his head, he grabbed at the hood obscuring his vision and pulled it off. After blinking a few times, he realized he was in a cave, with a small fire going in the center of the space._

 _Someone was leaning over the fire with their back to him. It was a small figure, perhaps a woman?_

" _Where am I?" he croaked, his throat dry as sandpaper._

 _The person looked over their shoulder at him. As they sat up, they pulled down their hood. Natsu recognized Ellie's friend and guard Eliza McGarden. Her blue hair was pulled back in its usual braid, leaving her face almost completely exposed so he could see her expression. There was a small smile on her face, but it was at odds with what was in her eyes. Anger, shame, regret, and something that looked like conviction burned from within._

" _What's going on? Why am I here?"_

" _I'm sorry Natsu. My king has ordered me to take care of you and keep you away from Ellie."_

 _Natsu's eyes widened. He had expected something like this, so he wasn't sure why he was suddenly so surprised. "What are you going to do?"_

" _Are you aware of why my family works for the Heartfilias?" she asked with a tilt of her head, ignoring his question._

 _He was chained up in a cave, completely at the mercy of a magic user, and she wanted to chat? Natsu supposed the longer they spoke, the more time he had to find a way out, so he indulged her. "Ellie said a family member was cursed or something in the past and now you have to do their bidding until the contract is fulfilled."_

" _That's the gist of it." She moved the logs around in the fire some, and tossed another in before speaking. "My great-great-great-great-great-great grandmother pissed off the queen by sleeping with her firstborn son. The prince loved her and wanted to marry her, but in the queen's eyes, she wasn't good enough, so the queen hired another wizard to bind the McGarden family to the Hearfilias as guards and servants. The queen enjoyed belittling my grandmother and bossing her around; she thought it served her right to for reaching too high on the social ladder._

" _In order to break the curse, twelve generations must cater to the Heartfilia family by following every order given to us. If we ever ignore an order, an additional generation is added to the timeframe."_

 _Eliza laughed humorlessly. "Can you imagine that? I could condone a whole nother generation by merely refusing to answer a question, or move out of someone's way. How ridiculous." Her tone was joking, but she was staring at the fire with a fierce, and yet, sad look. "Because of that, we have always been very good at finding loopholes."_

 _She turned towards Natsu again, her smile now sad, with tears forming in her eyes. "I have never had to find a loophole while serving Ellie. She has always asked instead of demanded when she needed something. I have been fortunate that my charge has become such a close friend." Tears spilled over. "She loves you so much. I hate that I have to take you away from her."_

 _Natsu swallowed, his mouth and throat both scratchy. "Then don't do it."_

" _I have to. The king has ordered me to, and I while I love her and want her to be happy, I can't allow this curse to affect more of my family that it already must._

" _There is good news, for both of you." She wiped her tears away, then squeezed one of his hands. "The king did not say that I had to kill you."_

 _She reached into her bag and pulled out a brand. After wiping off the end, she stuck it into the fire. "You will both be connected, because I will make it so. I must keep you from Ellie for now, but I can ensure that down the line, she will be reborn, and you two can be together again."_

 _His eyes widened as he watched her. Whatever she was about to do was going to involve magic, and he wasn't sure he was okay with it. While he wanted to be with Ellie more than anything, he wasn't sure how far 'down the line' was and he wasn't sure it was going to be good for his health._

 _She turned her body and began wiping one of his palms clean. "There are a few spells I'm going to use to make this happen, but we've already started so there's no turning back now."_

" _How- I don't-"_

" _Shh, don't worry about that for now." She held his hand and stared into his eyes for a few moments, studying him. "I need one of you to live so that the other will be called back, do you understand?"_

 _Honestly, he didn't, so he just shook his head, subtlety trying to test his bonds, despite their proximity to her hands. "My family has a small library of magical texts filled with all sorts of magic. I found a spell in one of the older books that can bind two souls together. What I am going to do is bind Ellie's soul to yours. I have to do it that way, because it will draw less attention if you are the one who outlives everyone instead of her."_

" _How are you going to keep me alive?" he whispered. The chains on him had no give but he was still trying._

" _That's the part you're not going to like," she said with a frown. "I'm going to have to curse you. Immortality can't be undone, and I'm not entirely sure how to do it anyway. A curse though, can be broken under the right conditions. So," she said, drawing out the word a little, "I'm going to turn you into a dragon."_

" _What?!" Natsu tried to yell, but his voice broke off. Why was he having so much trouble talking?_

" _Don't worry, it won't be permanent. However, while you're a dragon, I have to ensure your safety, since dragons are often hunted. I'm going to make you sensitive to the light, so you can only come out at night. I know how stubborn dragons can be, so I'm going to make you so sensitive that even your scales will burn if you spend time out during the day. It's the best way to keep you from being caught by humans. Also, once you change, you're going to forget everything about being human. That's not by choice, though, that's by design; it's how the spell works."_

 _His voice broke up as he spoke, but he needed answers. "How am I supposed to find her if I don't remember her?"_

" _You only need to worry about staying alive for now. Once she is reborn, the magic will pull you two together."_

" _How do you know?"_

" _I'm going to set a trigger, so that she will be born again under the best circumstances for you two to be together. The problem with the king is that he is thinking like a royal who is trying to increase his standing. I will make it so that Ellie is reborn out of a union of love. If her parents are in love, they will understand that bond and be more willing to allow you two to be together."_

" _Why not choose someone who's not royal?" The more he spoke, the more his voice cut in and out, but she seemed to understand._

" _The spell only works within the family line, or I would." She squeezed the hand she held. "Believe me, I am trying to make this as easy as I can."_

" _All I have to do is live alone as a hunted beast who can only come out at night." Half of his words didn't make a sound._

" _Why are you doing this?" he asked. "Why not just kill me?"_

 _She smiled as she said, "Because Ellie gave me the loophole." He was confused and he knew his expression reflected that. "She asked me to help her be with you as much as I could, long before the king ordered me to keep you apart."_

" _How do you know I won't eat her? Dragons eat people you know."_

 _She shrugged. "Your bond will stop you."_

" _Are you sure?"_

" _Sure enough." She checked the brand, saw that it was glowing orange, and smiled at him, but it didn't reach her eyes. "You ready?"_

 _Natsu looked at the brand, then up at Eliza as she pulled up her hood again. "Wait."_

" _I'm sorry if I haven't explained thoroughly enough, but you won't remember anything I tell you anyway. In a few centuries, when you finally do, you will have your answers."_

" _Centuries?" Oh no, he was not to live for hundreds of years alone in a cave as a dragon. Not happening. He started crawling away, slowly because of his bindings. "No no no no no no no."_

" _Natsu, please. This is the only way."_

" _No no no." He would find another way. He would find a way to either be with Ellie, or be happy just to have known her, but he would not accept this solution. Maybe if he had some time to consider it, he could find a way to be okay with it, but as it was, this felt like the worst of plans and he was not just going to sit here and let her do this to him._

 _He was surprised when she did not stop him at first. He was halfway to the mouth of the cave when he felt his body freeze and lift off the ground. As he floated back to the fire, he squeezed his eyes shut, causing tears to escape. He didn't know what words he used, but he begged and begged to be let go._

" _I am so, so sorry," she whispered. He heard metal on wood, and then she began to chant. He continued to whisper, promised to stay away, begged to be let go. He didn't want to live hundreds of years, not alone, and especially without his memories. He remembered how Ellie had looked earlier in the day when he had visited, when her father had banished him from the castle. She had been so beautiful, her hair piled high and her eyes glistening from tears. She hadn't cried though. No, those had been tears of anger. Afterwards, she had ignored her father's protests and walked him out. His beautiful Ellie had promised to find a way, and he hadn't bothered to dissuade her._

 _As the chanting stopped, Natsu braced himself, but he still wasn't ready for the pain that came. As he began to scream, he realized he couldn't move._

 _The pain in his hand was intense, greater than any other he had ever felt. He could feel the burn throughout his entire arm. Unable to do anything else, he continued to scream._

 _After a few moments, she pulled the brand away, leaving the symbol of fire on his hand. His throat even more hoarse, he stared at her pleadingly. "Please," he whispered… begging. As he looked up, he could see a sad smile on her pixie-like face. "Please, let me leave."_

" _I can't," she said. A tear slid from her eye, soaking into a strand of blue hair that had fallen into her face. "I must do this, but I promise it will get better. Some day."_

 _Suddenly, his entire body felt like it was on fire. A raging furnace, his blood chugged, through his body like lava, scorching him from the inside out. She stood as his body writhed, finally able to move again. He felt the shackles loosen, then realized they were melting off his body. He looked at Eliza again, anger replacing the fear he had felt, matching the heat that now coursed through his body. She gave him a small smile._

" _Some day," she repeated. "You will find each other again."_

* * *

" _Ellie? Ellie, it's time to get up." There was more knocking, but she ignored it, content to remain in her blanket cocoon. There was an audible sigh and then her door opened._

 _Eliza's face suddenly filled her vision. "Come on, it's time to get up."_

 _Ellie rolled over and pulled her pillow over her head. Suddenly, her blankets and pillow were yanked from her body. She sat up suddenly to glare at her friend. "What is your problem?"_

" _It's time you got out of bed. You've been in here for four days."_

 _Ellie's face darkened. "Get out of here, Eliza."_

 _Eliza's face paled a little, but she stood her ground. "You don't mean that, Ellie. Take it back."_

 _The princess watched her friend, watched her face continue to slowly pale. She knew what Eliza was risking by not listening to her. If she didn't leave soon, or if Ellie didn't retract the command, she would lengthen the curse on her family. Eliza stared but didn't move as she started to sweat. When she started to glow, her face fell a little more but she didn't move._

 _Ellie sighed. "You're right, I take it back." The glow around Eliza disappeared and she sat down with a relieved breath. "That was risky," she added as her friend's color began to return._

" _Well, you haven't been responding to my usual tactics, and it's time you left your room."_

 _Ellie looked around her room, avoiding Eliza's eyes. "I don't want to go out, I'm fine in here."_

 _After an audible breath, Eliza moved to stand in front of Ellie and grabbed her hands to yank her to her feet. Ellie stumbled but didn't fall as she followed her friend towards her wardrobe. "What are you doing?"_

" _You're getting dressed and we're going outside." Eliza was much stronger than she looked, so she easily swatted her friend's hands away when she tried to protest. "You've been in here long enough. Natsu isn't coming back, and you need to come to terms with that. Besides," she added, quietly. "I'm running out of time."_

" _Running out of time?" Ellie studied her friend for the first time and noticed that she looked more worried than she had ever seen her._

" _I have something to show you, and today is my last chance. It's important."_

" _Oh," Ellie responded dumbly. "You could have just said that."_

 _Half of Eliza's mouth turned up in a smile as she helped her friend dress. "I doubt that would have been enough to get you out of your room."_

 _Ellie knew she was right, but didn't admit it. She'd been ignoring Eliza's pestering to leave her room ever since she'd returned from the woods. Now that she knew it was something important, she felt bad about being difficult, but Natsu's leaving had hurt and she still wasn't over it._

 _She had loved him, still loved him, more than she had ever loved anyone else. More than she had ever realized was possible. Without him around, everything was lackluster at best. Food had no flavor, colors seemed less vibrant, and even when she sat in the sunlight, she felt cold all the way down to her bones._

 _Suddenly, she realized tears were falling from her eyes so she quickly swiped them away and helped finish buttoning her dress. Eliza was watching her closely, her eyebrows drawn together and her mouth drawn into a small frown. Ellie knew her friend didn't like to see her upset, and she had watched her friend cry and refuse company for four days. The least she could do was make an effort to be amicable for the day, for her friend's sake._

" _Alright, I suppose we should get going then," Ellie said, trying to sound upbeat._

 _Eliza gave her a small smile. "I'm glad you're finally up for it." She grabbed Ellie's hand and didn't let it go as she led her out of the castle to the amphitheater._

 _As they arrived, Ellie looked around, confused. "Eliza, what are we doing here? Is there a show I don't know about about?" She knew that couldn't be it- no one was around. "Eliza, stop pulling on me, what's going on?"_

 _Her guard didn't stop until they were both standing on the stage. Ellie was confused as Eliza turned her way, took both of her hands and turned her palms up. "Uh, Eliza? What are you doing?"_

" _Ellie, I'll have to keep this quick. I wasn't lying when I said I was running out of time. FIrst, you have to promise you'll stay here until I'm done, okay?"_

" _Al- alright." She was confused and a little worried about the look on Eliza's face._

" _Your father demanded that Natsu leave and not try to contact you again."_

" _What? My father-"_

" _Ellie, I don't have time for questions, I'm sorry."_

 _The princess nodded, but she had to bite her tongue to keep from saying anything. All she wanted to do was turn around and march up to the castle to confront her father, but she forced herself to wait._

" _Your father gave him an ultimatum, stay away or be banished. The night before you received the note from Natsu- which, I, uh, wrote, not him- he tried to sneak onto the grounds. One of the guards caught him and brought him to your father, who then summoned me._

" _He demanded I do my duty and ordered me to keep Natsu away from you." When Ellie tried to yank her hands away, Eliza held tight. "However, he didn't tell me to kill him. As you know, I can't resist a direct order, but my family has always been good at finding loopholes. I have to keep you and Natsu away from each other for now, but I'm going to help you be together in the future, okay?"_

 _Ellie felt anger and betrayal boiling inside her, but she managed to keep her voice level. "How can you do that?"_

" _My family has access to a lot of magics," she said with a small smile. "I don't know how long it will take for the trigger to take effect, but some day, you two will find eachother again. I promise." Her hands began to glow under Ellie's, and when the princess tried to pull away, Eliza grabbed onto her friend's wrists. "I have already taken care of Natsu, but now I have to finish the binding spell with you."_

 _Her smile wavered a little and Ellie could see that her friend was getting nervous. "I've never used this magic before, but I know what I'm doing, okay? You're going to be a little disoriented for a while after I'm done, but that's normal."_

" _Why? Eliza, you're worrying me. A lot. Can we talk about this?"_

" _We don't have anymore time," Eliza said as she shook her head. "I started the spell the night that I cursed Natsu-"_

" _Cursed!?"_

" _-and if I don't finish it soon, then your souls won't bind and my efforts will have been for nothing." Ellie's hands started heat up as a golden light surrounded them and slowly travelled up her arms. "I don't want to watch you suffer, so as an added measure, I'm going to take your memories of him for now. Or rather, I'm going to tuck them away, so you don't have to mourn him in this lifetime." The glow had reached Ellie's torso and was moving to cover the rest of her body. "When you regain your memories, you will only remember your life up until this point. Anything that doesn't have to do with Natsu will feel more like a dream than a memory, because I don't want to burden your reincarnation by essentially awakening a second person inside them. While it will be you, that version will grow up with different experiences, different thoughts, different people; you will be different, and it will be too much to have both of you in there. Everything with Natsu, though, those memories, those feelings, will return just as they are now."_

 _Even if Ellie had wanted to move, she wouldn't have been able to. Every part where the light radiated from her body had become numb and refused to move. Her whole body below her shoulders was glowing by this point and it started to work its way up to her head. "I'm going to set additional triggers that will activate before you regain your memory that will hopefully help you find the right path to get here and ease you back into your love._

" _I'm combining a few different spells, and those triggers are the hardest to set, but I am confident that it will work out in the end." Eliza's eyes were shiny with tears and her whole body was obviously shaking with effort by this point, whether from her feelings or the magic required for the spell, Ellie wasn't sure. She watched as her vision changed and everything around her was cast in a golden light. "Some way, somehow, you two will find eachother again. You will come back to this spot, and you will remember."_

 _ **How**_ _, Ellie wanted to ask, but her whole body was completely frozen. Eliza, sweet, reliable, attentive friend that she was must have seen the question in her eyes. "I can tell you're wondering how. It's rather cliche, but with your love of fairy tales, I think you'll appreciate it." She began to chant, her voice rising and falling, steady and beautiful, until suddenly, Ellie's entire body ceased to glow._

" _Your memories will return with true love's kiss," Eliza said, and one whispered word later, everything went black._

* * *

The first thing she was aware of were voices all around her. She could hear Levy and Erza, as well as Bickslow and Gray. They all seemed so far away, like they were at the end of a very long tunnel. Slowly, they seemed to be getting closer, but she immediately wished they wouldn't; as the voices grew louder, so did a ringing noise in her ears. The noises grew louder and louder until she had no choice but cover her ears.

The movement jostled whoever was holding her, and she noticed there were arms around her that instantly tightened at her movement. "Lucy? Lucy, can you hear me?" As she focused on the voice nearest her, the ringing slowly, and then quickly, disappeared. She blinked open her eyes slowly, seeing there were a lot of people around her, but she ignored them to look up at the face next to hers. She recognized that face, those dark eyes and hair. "Gray?"

"Yeah, Lucy, it's me. Are you okay?"

"Lucy? But I'm not…" No, she was Lucy, but hadn't she been Ellie a moment ago? Who was Ellie? Her head felt fuzzy, and she was trying very hard to make sense of everything.

She looked around herself. There were guards everywhere on the stage. Apparently, Gray had pulled her over towards the seats- at least, she thought he had. Hadn't she been on the stage before? She'd been grabbed and brought over here. Jose had been planning on kidnapping her, but then Natsu-

 _Natsu_ **.** Lucy bolted upright and began searching the for him. There, at the end of the stage, he was laying facedown on the stage, four guards holding his body down. "Why are they- get off him! _Get off Natsu this instant!_ " Lucy shot out of Gray's arms, but as soon as she stood up, she got light headed and fell over. Gray quickly caught her and helped her to sit next to him.

"Lucy, what's wrong? Do you know him?"

Ellie- no, she was _Lucy_ , damn it- turned and looked at Gray. Gray, her fiance, the man she was supposed to marry the following day, looked haggard and worried and she immediately felt awful because now she _remembered_. Now that the memories were back, now that she remembered who she had been, remembered how much she loved Natsu, there was no way she could go through with the wedding. "Gray, I'm so sorry."

"What are you apologizing for?" Lucy saw Erza and Levy moving past a few guards to make their way towards the pair.

"I can't marry you, I'm sorry." She barely saw the surprise register on his face before she was standing again and moving towards the stage.

It irritated her how wobbly she was, but she pushed on until she was at the stage. "Get off him right now!" she demanded.

The guards holding him down glanced at each other, obviously uncomfortable. "We're sorry, princess, but we can't-"

"That man saved my life and you have _assaulted_ him. If you know what's good for you, you will get off him this instant. That is an _order_." Lucy had never been so forceful with the guards before and it was obvious that she had surprised them.

They looked at eachother again, but they reluctantly let the still unconscious Natsu go. Lucy got up onto the stage and rolled him over onto his back. She scooted closer to him and put his head on her lap, then ran her fingers through his hair. He was wearing a very outdated outfit, one that felt like it should be familiar, but she didn't try to figure out why.

"Natsu, wake up. I'm here. I'm here and I remember, and I can't believe how foolish I was and how reckless you acted. Please, open your eyes. I need to hear you say you remember, too, and see it in your eyes. _Please, wake up._ " Movement near her elbow drew her attention. She realized everyone had stopped moving and talking, even the guards who were carrying Jose and his accomplice had paused. Gray was sitting next to her on the stage, his head cocked to the side.

"Something happened, didn't it? The guards said there was a really bright light before they got to the clearing. When they arrived, you and this man were just slumped over each other in the middle of the stage. What's going on?"

"I don't really know how to explain it," she said, still combing her hand through Natsu's pink hair. It was as soft and thick as she remembered, and it brought tears to her eyes. "My brain is still trying to sort through it all, but long story short, I'm the reincarnation of one of my ancestors, and Natsu is the man that I used to love."

Gray stared at her, emotionless for a while. Lucy maintained eye contact, even as everyone around them remained frozen, waiting for Gray's reaction. He studied her, eyes flicking back and forth between hers for a long time. "That's pretty crazy," he said eventually. He smiled at her. "I guess I understand now why you don't want to marry me."

She was so relieved he believed her, she exhaled loudly. "You're not even questioning it?"

"You look pretty serious, and I trust you," he said simply, shrugging his shoulders.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered.

"Honestly," he lowered his voice. "I wasn't looking forward to the whole country union thing. While I wouldn't have minded being married to you, the thought of running both of our countries as one super country wasn't something that I ever envisioned myself doing.

"Besides, you know that I've always loved you, but it's never been like that with us, so don't feel bad." His smile was reassuring and when he grabbed her hand to squeeze it, she felt a lot of her anxiety and stress melt away. "I'll always be here for you anyway, just say the word if you need something. Except," he pulled his hand back, "for telling your dad. That's up to you."

"Chicken." She smiled, appreciating how his humor grounded her.

Despite the situation, Gray gave her a reassuring smile. Until he looked down at Natsu. "Also, if this pink haired idiot does anything stupid, know that I'll be right there to kick his ass." He leaned over and kissed Lucy on the head. He looked around them as he stood and she saw his smile falter. "Looks like you might be getting that conversation a little sooner than you might like."

Lucy looked over her shoulder and saw her father walking through the guards, who had all gone back to work, looking very angry. Since he didn't know what had happened yet, she knew his anger was at Jose, but that was going to change very soon. She took a deep breath, and readied herself for a very unpleasant chat.

* * *

His body was hot, but it was also cold. He felt sticky and sick and every muscle felt sore and out of place. He was floating, but it also felt like he was weighed down by gravity. His pulse in his ears was loud and erratic, and he could have sworn he heard voices, but he didn't know what was being said or how close the people were.

His memories were a jumbled mess in his head, but they were slowly unravelling themselves as he followed one scene to the next. From dancing with Ellie, to walks around town, to tea in the garden, to stolen kisses behind tapestries and hidden gazebos in gardens.

Natsu remembered everything. He remembered who he used to be, remembered falling in love with a princess who was much too good to be with him, but had somehow managed to fall in love with him anyway. He remembered her father's threats, he remembered trying to sneak in one last time to say goodbye… He remembered the little mage, who had cursed him to be a dragon, alone and lonely for centuries, so that one day he could be with his love again, and stay by her side.

 _Ellie_ … he swore he could hear her, but her voice wasn't quite right. The sound was almost the same, but it was more forceful, filled with more conviction, instead of the soft, gentle flow he was used to. No, that wasn't right. That's the voice he had been used to in the past. This voice was the reincarnation of her- it was Lucy. Lucy, who was so much like Ellie, but also so different. The version that his dragon form had fallen in love with. The version that, in his opinion, was even better than the first. While he had been madly in love with Ellie, she had been more sheltered, more controlled. Given the same opportunities, he was certain she could have grown to have the same outgoing and boisterous personality Lucy had, but she had been more closely monitored as she grew up. Still, both were amazing, and now, he was filled with love for both women. His current self had still been in the process of falling in love with Lucy, but combined with the love that he now remembered from his past, it was quickly compounding and he was almost positive he was going to drown in it.

Her voice was close, so he struggled to convince his body to move, tried to clear out the fuzz in his head so he could hear what she was saying.

"… sounds crazy, but it's true. I already talked to Gray, and I know that it will be hard to explain, but I'm not marrying him anymore, father."

"I don't know what nonsense has gotten into you, daughter, but I'm not going to let you throw away a good match just because you've found some stray that you think you love."

"He's not a stray and I don't _think_ I _know_ that I love him. I remember him, I remember me, I remember him courting me and falling in love. I remember-"

"Enough." Natsu's hackles rose as he was finally able to feel his limbs again. "Take him to the west wing of the castle. Find him a room and keep him there, but don't let anyone else in."

"But father-"

"Enough Lucy. I don't know what kind of magic has been used on you to make you go crazy like this, but I won't tolerate your nonsense anymore."

A hand on Natsu forced his eyes open, and then the body attached to it was sent flying away from him. In a flash, he was standing, Lucy held protectively behind him, on the end of the stage. "No one is taking me away from El- Lucy, and no one is taking her away either."

"Natsu," Lucy breathed. He had thrown the guard with no more effort than when he'd been a dragon, which made no sense. She put a hand on his shoulder and noticed that his skin was just as hot as it had always been. What was going on? Was he still part dragon? She had assumed that would go away now that they were together again, but maybe she'd been wrong?

"Easy hothead," Gray said, a frown on his face. "There's no need to rough up the guards."

"You shut up," Natsu said, pointing a finger. "You can go home to your pretty ice castle now. I finally remember, and you can't have Lucy anymore."

"Natsu, he's definitely not the enemy here," Lucy said squeezing her hand. "No one is, just calm down. Breathe."

Natsu focused on her hand on his shoulder as it rubbed near the base of his neck. The motion soothed him, and soon, he had relaxed his posture. She moved to stand beside him, but he stopped her when she tried to move in front of him. "It's alright, Natsu-"

Her father interrupted, "Guards, get him."

"Wait!" Lucy moved to stand in front of him, but Natsu pulled her behind him as the guards rushed him. He easily threw them away from himself, despite having more than one trying to grab him at a time. They ignored her pleas as her father demanded that they catch the pink haired annoyance. Bickslow was one of the last guards still standing and, not wanting him to join the pile of guards quickly growing on the ground, she slipped under Natsu's arm to stand in front of him. "That's enough! Father, stop this right now and listen to me!"

"I'm sorry, Lucy, but I can't do that so long as you are being this way."

"I'm not _being_ any way, father. I'm sorry that cancelling the wedding will be an inconvenience, but Gray and I are in agreement on this."

"I won't let whatever happened with Jose ruin this wedding, Lucy. I simply won't allow it!"

"It has nothing to do with Jose!" Natsu was growling behind her, but she didn't moved from her spot. When one of the guards moved like he was going to flank Natsu, Bickslow grabbed him by the arm and held him back. "Father, please, listen to me. I'm not just Lucy Heartfilia, I'm also Ellie Heartfilia. I'm the reincarnation of one of our ancestors." Lucy was struggling still to sort through the memories that were suddenly filling her brain, but she had to do it quickly so she could make her case with her father. "She was forced to give up the love of her life to marry someone of an appropriate rank, and her friend used magic so that she- so that I could be reborn again and be with him. Natsu is that man, and I am that woman. I won't let the love and effort that friend put in be for nothing!"

"Lucy-"

"No father, I'm not going through with the wedding tomorrow. I refuse, and that's nothing you can do to stop me." She stood up straight as she stood before her father and king. "If you try to insist, I will have no choice but to pack a bag tonight and leave. I am your only heir, father. If you want the Heartfilia legacy to continue, I suggest you stop this nonsense and cancel the wedding. We can figure it out if you would just talk this out with me." Her father fumed, his face turning redder by the second as he glared at her with clenched fists and a scowl.

Despite the situation, despite the stress of the moment, despite the way her head still felt as though she'd collected a basket worth of cotton and stuffed it all into her head through her ears, Lucy had never been more sure of herself. She could feel Natsu's warmth seeping off his body as he stood at her back. She could feel the love she'd felt for him so long ago, along with the love that had been trying to bloom since they'd started getting to know each other, filling her up. Ellie's best friend had done everything she could to allow her to be with the man she had loved, and Lucy would not let that effort be in vain. No matter what her father's response, she was going to be with Natsu. She didn't care if they were here, running the country together as king and queen, or if it meant she left behind her name and position to move on from her sheltered life as princess of Fiore. Either way, centuries after she'd met and fallen in love with the impulsive man who treated her like the most precious being on Earthland, they were finally going to be together.

* * *

 **(Lemon incoming)**

The breeze was mild, but it did help to cool the pair that stood in the shade, hiding from the midday sun.

"I _told_ you it was too hot for a ride today," Lucy groaned as she tied her horse to the tree.

"And I told _you_ , I have a plan," Natsu responded with a grin as he tied up his own horse.

"I'd feel better if I knew what this plan was." Lucy moved closer to him as he stood from checking his horse's leg. "Is he okay?"

"Yep, looks like his hoof is doing just fine." Natsu grabbed the basket tied to his saddle and grabbed Lucy's hand to pull her farther into the woods.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see, love."

Lucy smiled at his pet name for her. It had been all too easy for them to fall back into their old relationship when they'd recovered their memories so many months ago. It had been much easier for Natsu, since he'd forgotten most of his time as a dragon. He still had nightmares occasionally, from his leftover guilt over killing people, but they were working through it, together. She, on the other hand, had essentially two lives to sort through, and while the old memories did indeed feel more like dreams, she could still remember so much about her former life, and it was sometimes hard to distinguish between the two.

Suddenly, Natsu stopped and turned to face her. "Cover your eyes and give me your hand."

"Natsu-"

"Just do it. I promise, it'll be worth it." She sighed, but did as she was told. Since she couldn't see, she focused on listening to what was ahead of her. She realized quickly that she could hear a waterfall and it wasn't long before they stopped and he let her open her eyes to see she'd heard correctly. They were next to a small lake, with a waterfall on the far end, surrounded by dozens of different kinds of flowers.

"This place is amazing," she breathed, walking forward slowly.

"Yep, and it's all ours." They were in the Dark Woods, and though the dragon guardian was no longer around, only a small handful of people knew, so it was still free from human interference. Natsu placed the basket in the shade and pulled Lucy towards the water. "Care to go for a swim with me?"

"A swim? I didn't bring a swimsuit."

He chuckled as he ran his hands up and down her body. His eyes became hooded, and his smile was full of promise. "Who said you needed a swimsuit?"

They had been married for a couple months, but Lucy still blushed like a virgin sometimes when Natsu suggested doing something new. "You want to go skinny dipping?" she squeaked.

"That sounds like a perfect way to spend an afternoon."

"What about the food?"

"I'd much rather eat you," he whispered into her neck, then ran his tongue up her neck. Despite the heat, goosebumps broke out all over her skin.

After a deep breath, she pulled away from him and tried to give him a teasing smile as she began to unbutton his shirt. "I suppose swimming first would be the responsible thing to do." Her mouth grew dry as she exposed the skin beneath his shirt. "You're not suppose to swim for a while after you eat, so we really should swim first."

She had barely finished undoing the last button before Natsu's shirt, vest and shoes had been removed. Half naked, he spun her around and hastily started undoing the lacing of her dress.

Natsu was going to go mad if he he didn't get his loving wife out of her dress. He had been away for three days, and being newlyweds, that had been much too long in his opinion. He wanted her naked and he wanted it _now_. Much quicker than usual, he managed to get her dress undone and yanked it down her body, which made her squeak in protest and her arms flew to cover herself. He could see her blush spread across her neck up to her ears as she stood with her back to him. Quickly, he removed the rest of his clothing before he moved to stand behind her.

He careful pressed himself flush against her back, causing her breath to catch in that way that made his insides clench and then become liquid. He ran his hands up and down her sides, enjoying her smooth skin and the curve of her waist and hips. "Well, love, I'm ready to hop in, what do you think?"

Lucy had lost the ability to speak. The warm day was nothing compared to the heat coming off her husband when he was like this, and despite the pinpricks of sweat forming on her body, she couldn't find it in herself to care. Feeling every one of his muscles pressed against her soft curves was causing some serious havoc with her breathing. His hands against her skin were not enough of a distraction from the heated pulse she could feel against her backside that let her know this probably wouldn't be just a swim. He arms came around her slowly, ever so carefully grazing the underside of her breasts, causing them to tingle. He was so good at making her want with just a few little touches, it was driving her mad.

Not that she didn't have a similar power, when she could shake off her shyness. It was getting easier with every passing day, but when they tried new things, like this, she always had to deal with a bout of uneasiness. Lucy took a deep breath then lowered her arms and stepped free from her dress and his arms. She turned with one hand on her hip to look at Natsu and watched as his eyes filled with want, his body barely restraining itself as his eyes roamed across her body. His desire was obvious in the way his entire body shuddered, the way his eyes darkeneed, the way his tongue came out to run across his bottom lip. Not to mention the various obvious way his manhood was pointing at her.

Lucy flashed him the sexiest smile she could manage before turning to walk into the water. She was only thigh deep before he came up behind her and started running his hands all over her body. He continued to move with her until they were almost chest high, his hands still roaming her body as she turned in his arms to do the same. His lips crashed down onto hers as he moaned and she let her hands roam farther south. Another groan left his throat as he moved to kiss the sensitive skin on her neck, occasionally nibbling on her as well. It wasn't long before he was twitching uncontrollably and he pulled her hands away.

Raising his hands to her face, the old Natsu shone through as he carefully, oh so carefully, cradled her face in his hands and kissed her. The kisses were light, reverent, and full of love. Even as they grew deeper, they were still gentle and slow and Lucy groaned as though she was going to go mad.

"Natsu…" she whined. "Please…"

His voice was gruff and much lower than usual. "Someone's antsy."

"It's been three days. I don't want to wait anymore." She lifted up on her toes to nibble on, and then whisper in his ear. "Plus, the sooner we get started, the sooner we can do it again."

His answering growl was the only warning she got as he lifted her up and quickly but carefully slid inside her. She gasped as she wrapped her legs around his waist, but he had a firm hold on her thighs and he was already moving their bodies together. Their breaths mingled as they gasped and moaned into each other's mouths between kisses. Their time apart meant Lucy felt the tension inside her snap all too soon, making her groan loudly, followed swiftly by Natsu. He continued to move for a while after, wringing as many gasps and moans as he could from his loving wife, who did her part to draw several noises from him as well.

In the afterglow, he slowly moved them towards a large rock where he could sit down and Lucy could straddle his lap as they rested. The water still come up to their chests when they were sitting, so they stayed cool despite being in the sunlight.

"I missed this," she sighed as she snuggled closer.

"I did, too," he answered. He ran his hand up and down her back, as he thought about the last several months and everything that had changed for them. "Hey, Lucy?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you regret anything that happened?"

Lucy pulled back a little to look into Natsu's eyes. He was watching her with a bland expression, but she could see everything she needed to in his eyes. While the both of them were extremely happy, sometimes he would question himself and she would have to reassure him that she didn't regret what had happened, in the past or when he'd been a dragon. Despite the fact that she knew he would make the same choice if he had to again, he sometimes had moments of doubt.

"I don't regret anything I had to go through to have you," she answered, sitting up straighter so she could kiss him. He deepened the kiss, exploring her mouth thoroughly as he ran his hands all over her body. Soon, they pulled apart, breathless and smiling. "What about you?" she asked.

"I kind of miss being a dragon, sometimes." He planted featherlight kisses all over her face, neck and shoulders. "I like that I kept the strength, and never getting cold is nice, but I miss the wings. Flying was the best part."

She returned the kisses when he paused to answer and then gently bit his neck. "I meant, do you regret what you lost. Do you miss anything from when you were human? Your family, friends, anything like that?"

He lifted his hands and held her face still as he stared into her eyes. "Lucy, I would do anything, give up anything, go anywhere, put up with anything and everything if it meant that I got to one day be with you. I don't regret anything, because it led to this, to us, being together." He kissed her again, a long meeting of lips, sure and sweet. "I love you."

"I love you, too." Lucy threw her arms around her husband, her dragon protector, her lover… her Natsu. No matter what happened, they had each other, and despite what they had gone through to get to where they were, it had all been worth it.

Being in Natsu's arms, being with him, was all she'd ever needed. As they smiled at each other, Lucy silently sent her thanks to the heavens, hoping her dear friend could hear her. It was because of Eliza that she could be this happy, and while that was a debt she could never repay, it was one she'd never forget.

 **Hey guys! Thank you all for your interest, your love, and your feedback for this story. I had a ton of fun writing it and I hope you enjoyed the ride (and that I didn't disappoint you too much with the ending.) I know how I imagine the conversation with her father went, but I wanted to leave it vague so you guys could draw those conclusions on your own.**

 **I'll be taking a little bit of a break while I get my next idea worked out a little more thoroughly, but I do plan on writing another story. I'll be doing a slightly AU Soul Eater fic next, so keep your eyes open for that if you're interested.**

 **Thanks again guys, and happy reading.**


	35. Conclusion

**You guys all thought this fic was done, didn't you? PSYCH!**

 **To be honest, I was done with it. I liked the idea of leaving it open ended with the little lemon at the end to placate you NaLu fans. Honestly, though, the more I came back to it, the more it just sat funny with me. I started to hate it, and a few days ago it finally bothered me enough to fix it. So here you go, guys, an actual conclusion to Forgotten. I didn't change anything about the last chapter, I only cut the lemon and moved it to the end of this one to keep the timeline in order. Hopefully this is a happy surprise to those who were around when I first started writing this. (Btw, this ended up being over 20 pages, so for those who follow Surprise Guest, this is why I don't have the next chunk of that story out. Hopefully this tides you over until the next chunk is ready!)**

 **Warning for younger readers, the last portion of this is definitely rated M. It's one big ol' lemon (am I using that term right?) so warning in advance.**

 **As always, thanks for the love and happy reading!**

As Lucy waited, tense, she hoped and prayed that Natsu wouldn't jump into a rage again. He was too tired, and it wasn't the fault of the guards that they were in this mess. If her father didn't listen, she had to be ready to stop the angry man behind her.

"Bickslow." The king's voice was low and quiet despite the rage in his eyes.

"Yes, your majesty?"

"Restrain that man."

Lucy frowned as the guard reached up to remove his helmet. "Please Bickslow, I don't want to have to watch Natsu hurt you, too."

Bickslow avoided her gaze, his expression blank as he tilted his head to both sides, cracking his neck. His mouth thinned a little as he met Lucy's gaze. "I'm sorry."

Lucy opened her mouth, but she didn't get a chance to speak. As he looked over her shoulder at Natsu, his eyes began to glow.

"You know magic?" Lucy whispered. "Why didn't you ever tell me?" A thud from behind her had her whipping around to find Natsu crumbled on the ground. "Natsu!"

"Restrain her and bring her to her room."

Gray, who had moved back closer to the stage when Natsu had started chucking guards, suddenly hopped up to stand next to Lucy. "Hold on, sir, I don't think all of this is necessary. Lucy already told you-"

"King Fullbuster, you may be in charge in your country, and the future ruler of this one, but I am still the king of Fiore and this is a matter between myself and my daughter. I will not hesitate to use every guard available in my household to restrain you as well and have you thrown in the dungeons." Jude Heartfilia's entire face was red, his eyes bulging slightly out of his face. "Hold your tongue and return to the castle. It would not do for both you and the princess to be missing from your own engagement party for too long."

Gray's fists clenched at his sides as he looked around at the remaining guards. Before he could decide just how many he could fight on his own, Lucy's hand grabbed tightly onto his own. "Gray, I can handle him," she said softly from her place on the ground. She'd rearranged Natsu's limbs slightly so he would be more comfortable and pulled his head onto her lap. Her free hand was pressed against his neck, probably to find his pulse. "Please, do not get yourself hurt on my account. Return to the party with Levy and Erza. Erza looks like she's ready to take out the whole army on her own and I need you to persuade her not to. Please. My father is just upset. I will find a way to reason with him, but it will go better if you guys aren't around to interfere." She squeezed his hand harder. " _Please_."

Gray clenched his jaw as he continued to stare down at her. Finally he nodded. Before he could pull away and do as he was asked, Lucy squeezed his hand once more. She whispered, so quietly, no one else could hear her. "I have a small favor, if you don't mind. Just in case, if something happens and I'm kept away, please make sure Natsu is not treated too terribly. Please. He does not deserve what's happening."

Gray squeezed her hand and gave her a slight nod before pulling away. Ignoring the king completely, he walked towards Erza and Levy. As he reached the pair, he took Levy's left hand and Erza's right and tucked them into the crooks of his elbows before turning to drag them back to the castle, ignoring them as they both argued with him to stay.

As the guards moved forward to do as the king instructed, Lucy ignored them to look up where Bickslow still stood, helmet in his hands, a sad look on his face. "Why?" she asked.

"An order's an order, princess," he responded, turning away as he returned his helmet to his head.

"Take her up through the servant's quarters. I must return to the ballroom, and I do not want the guests to see her. Put the other one in the dungeon."

Despite the anger festering in Lucy's heart, she didn't try to argue with her father's orders. Instead she watched with tear filled eyes as Natsu's limp body was picked up and carried back to the castle. The two guards on either side of her seemed nervous as they moved to restrain her arms and lead her behind the rest of the group. She shook off the first hand laid on her. "I can walk myself," she growled as she straightened her spine and began to lead them herself back to the castle and up to her room. When they finally left, she heard the distinct sound of the lock being turned, leaving her alone with her thoughts in the dark, oppressive silence of her room.

For a while she paced back and forth across her room, the excess energy from her anger needing an outlet. She paced as she sorted through the anger, the betrayal, the sadness, the worry, the love, and the memories that filled her head, making her skull feel too tight. She remembered her friend, her lost friend who had done what she needed to to preserve her happiness and save her from the pain of living without her beloved. She remembered the meetings with Natsu in the past; the first time their eyes met across the ballroom, the times they hid together away from prying eyes, the love they expressed with every look and touch. She remembered the betrayal she'd felt against her father for the ultimatum he'd given Natsu, and the fear when Eliza had performed the spell that locked away her memories of him and bound them together. When Lucy finally collapsed, the restless energy no longer enough to keep her up on her feet, she folded in on herself on the floor, tears flowing freely down her face to soak into her dress.

There was a knock some time after she stopped crying, but before she fell asleep. She called out as a reflex, not caring to speak to whoever was on the other side of the door.

Bickslow's voice carried through the wood with ease, despite how quiet it was. "Princess, can I come in?"

Betrayal burned in her stomach again, spreading like wildfire through her whole body. It gave her the energy to pull herself back up and get to her feet. "I don't want you anywhere _near_ me," she spit out.

He was silent so long, she thought he might have left. Until the lock disengaged and her door open, revealing her tall former friend. He shut the door behind him as she moved to confront him.

" _You betrayed me_ ," she hissed, shoving him back towards the door. Lucy was so tired there was hardly any strength at all in the move, but he still let her push him back against the door.

"Woah, I didn't betray you, princess. I just did what my king told me to do. It's my job."

"You hurt Natsu. You hurt the man I love and I will _never_ forgive you."

"I didn't hurt him," the guard argued. "I only put him to sleep. The way he fell might have hurt a little, but he didn't feel anything from what I did."

"How on earth are you a wizard?! Why have you never told me?!"

"My magic isn't one that people are particularly approving of, so not a lot of people know about it. Besides that, the king made me swear when I started here that I would not reveal that I had magic or use it without permission, unless it was a life or death situation."

Lucy glared at him. "I'm your friend, and the princess of Fiore. How was I not privy to that information?"

Bickslow put his hands up. "I'm not the one you need to be mad at, that's all on your father. Friend or not, I was ordered to keep it a secret and I did."

She moved away from him, angry that she felt so betrayed, and yet still wanted her friend to comfort her. Even if he was part of the reason she was so upset.

"Listen, princess-"

"Don't," she cut him off. Then she stalked across the room to open the other door and stand beneath the night's sky. "Just leave, Bickslow. You're dismissed."

"Lucy." She froze as he spoke her name. The tone he'd used was one she'd never heard from him before, and he rarely ever used her name. He moved into the room, crossing to stand just inside the doorframe.

"Why are you here, Bickslow?"

He sighed. "Despite our positions, I think of you as a friend. I would have left this shitty guard job a long time ago if you weren't here. I came to explain, and to apologize. Even if you don't want to believe that I'm upset about what I did, I want you to hear me out. Please."

Lucy turned to face him, ignoring the people she could hear below her in the gardens. Her father had not thought out his punishment very well. If she wanted to, all she had to do was speak up and she could have half the guests at the party informed of what had happened in a mere moment.

She studied Bickslow for a moment, surprised at the way he was speaking and carrying himself. For being a usually spunky, carefree guy, he was awfully reserved and quiet as he waited for her to speak.

"I'll hear you out," she said, gesturing for them to return to her room. She looked up at the sky once more before pulling the doors shut behind her, so she could give her undivided attention to the guard.

What felt like hours later, Lucy found herself slumped back in her chair, staring into the space just over Bickslow's shoulder. "So your magic deals with souls? That is so crazy…"

"And it creates a lot of problems with friends when they find out."

"So all you did was block Natsu's soul from accessing his body, right? How long will it take to wear off?"

"I already removed the block," he said. "It was only necessary until we had him in the dungeon."

Lucy winced, but didn't say anything else, choosing to focus on what she was told. "At least now I understand why father is being so pushy about this marriage. I had no idea he was having problems with Caelum." Lucy frowned. "If this has been going on, why did he invite King Jose?"

"He didn't. King Jose heard about the engagement through the grapevine and showed up on his own. Our countries are evenly matched, military-wise, but your marriage with Gray and the merging of the two countries would have tipped the scales in our favor if we were to go to war, which I've come to understand was the goal, eventually. Your father saw that the combination of the countries would make him rethink that plan. Even though we have plenty of allies to help, this would have helped stop the war before it could start."

Lucy shivered as she remembered dancing with the other king, suddenly grateful for Natsu being in the Dark Woods for all those years. Without his presence, King Jose probably would have started a war between them years prior.

"Even so, I can't marry Gray, not anymore, but I'm sure if Father just talked to Gray, he would be willing to help us."

Bickslow shrugged. "That's up to the king. I'm just a guard, so what I know is just from what I've heard around the castle. I'm not privy to the big planning or secrets."

A noise at the door interrupted them. When the door suddenly opened without a word, Bickslow jumped to his feet to stand in front of Lucy. Almost immediately, he relaxed. "What do you need?"

Lucy looked around the man to see another guard standing at the door. "Oh, sorry, the door was unlocked. I was just making sure the princess was still in here. Her father wants a word with her in the throne room."

"Now?" Lucy asked. "The party is still going on."

"He demanded that you join him now, princess. I'm to escort you to him."

"I can handle that," Bickslow said. "You can return to your post."

"But the king-"

"Return. To. Your. Post."

The other guard eyed Bickslow for only a moment before he backed off and left.

"You may want to clean up a bit, princess, before you go face him. I'll wait in the hallway."

"Thank you," she said as the door shut behind him. After she lit a couple candles, she sat at her vanity and carefully cleaned up her face and fixed her hair. Her dress was basically ruined, so she changed into a more comfortable, less elaborate dress before joining Bickslow in the hallway. On their way to the throne room, he shared some gossip with her that he'd heard at the party about one of the guards and one of the chef's new apprentices being caught making out in the kitchen. It felt good to laugh with him, and by the time they made it to the appropriate door, Lucy was feeling better than she had before she was locked in her room.

Before he opened the door, Bickslow looked at her with his wide grin. "Just remember, princess, I already promised to go with you if you leave the castle, no matter where that is."

It took Lucy a moment to realize what he was saying, but when she did, she threw her arms around him. "Thank you," she whispered. He hugged her quickly before returning his hand to the door. She straightened her spine as she nodded that she was ready. As the door opened and Bickslow announced her to the king and stepped to the side. Lucy let out a long breath and entered.

"Hello Father," she said as she crossed the room. Her spine was ramrod straight, her steps sure, and her face completely composed as she met her father's eyes without flinching.

"Daughter."

She came to a stop at the base of the stairs that led up to his throne. "You summoned me?"

"Don't try to be coy, Lucy, you know why you're here," he reprimanded.

"I'm sorry, sir, I wasn't trying to be," Lucy responded, her face and voice completely devoid of emotion. Her father's already red face deepened closer to the color of cherries. He quickly took a breath, composing himself as he continued.

"Lucy, you will be getting married tomorrow. You and Gray will be moving to his castle afterwards, where you two will work on producing a male heir. In a few years, when I am ready to step down, we will bring our two countries together, and you and Gray will become the king and queen of the new and improved Fiore. In the meantime, Fiore and Bosco will work together to take care of the problems Jose has caused. Also, I will be finding you new tutors in Bosco, as I believe you still have some things to learn." The last sentence was said with obvious disdain.

"I do not know what the man in our dungeon has done to you persuade you that you are some reincarnation of your ancestor, or to make you believe that you are in love with him, but it is not true. I have already sent for help in ridding you of whatever magic has been used on your mind. The man responsible will be punished as soon as you have been fixed, and in the meantime, you are forbidden to speak with him or go anywhere near him, is that understood?"

"I understand what you are saying, Father."

"Good. Now return to your room. I will return to the party and inform everyone that you have become overtired due to the excitement of the party. I expect you to remain upstairs until morning. You need your rest before tomorrow. You are dismissed."

Lucy's nose lifted into the air a fraction of an inch as her father looked away with his dismissal. "I'm sorry, Father, but I do not agree to your plan."

The king turned back to her with a furious expression. "Excuse me-"

"No," Lucy said as she slashed a hand in front of her. "I will not agree to your terms. I have been the dutiful daughter you have wanted me to be long enough. I was amicable with every single man you traipsed through here, attempting to find me a husband. I didn't complain about any of them, despite their ages, their personalities, or their disregard for my feelings and interests.

"I did not argue when you demanded I take lessons years earlier than any other high bred woman that I've ever met. I didn't complain when you kept me from making any friends besides Levy and Gray." She didn't mention Erza, even though she was just as important as her other two friends. "I didn't complain when you used my birthdays to suit your own political needs, instead of celebrating the day with me.

"I didn't complain when you-" Lucy's voice cut off as she got choked up for a moment. "When you had mother's things boxed up and shipped off immediately after her death, leaving me no chance to keep anything to remember her by. I didn't complain when you threw yourself into your work following her death and started to block me out. You have grown cold since mother passed away. It hurt to lose her. I understand that, because I lost her, too, but more than that, I lost you. You haven't treated me the same in years, and yet, I have always done what I could to be the perfect, obedient daughter."

Her father's expression was stony, and his hands gripped at the armrests of his chair as he listened, much to her surprise, silently. "Father, I have not been honest with you. I know that you believe that I have been possessed, or cursed, or coerced in some way, but I have not. I know what is happening with Natsu is real. I have seen enough to know that what I told you is true."

She swallowed as she gripped her keys through the layers of her skirt. Their presence eased her slightly and gave her the courage to keep talking. "I lied when I said I didn't remember what happened when I was kidnapped. I remember everything. The story is hard to believe, but if you just hear me out, I know that I can convince you and you and I can come to an understanding."

"No matter what happened, you will be marrying Gray tomorrow. I refuse to believe you are in love with some stranger-"

"Natsu was a dragon." Her father's eyes widened. "Up until we broke the curse in the amphitheater, he was a dragon. A human cursed to be a dragon. He is the reason there are so many horror stories of the Dark Woods.

"The man who posed as Duke Everlue's representative took me through the woods, but Natsu stopped him and saved me. He never, not once, hurt me the entire time I was with him. Instead, he provided for me until he could bring me home."

Her father scoffed. "That's preposterous, and I refuse to believe these lies."

"I can prove it. Give me some men and horses. I will take them to the dragon's den. I can describe what it looks like. I can list books that are there, as well as many other things hidden inside. I can make it through without setting off the traps in the other caves, and we will get in and out in one piece because the dragon is no longer there."

The king's patience was long gone by this point, and Lucy knew it. "Lucy, this fairy tale has gone on long enough. No one will be going into those accursed woods again. I forbid it!"

"Then let me tell you about the cave, just between the two of us, and then you can talk to Natsu. You can hear for yourself that we are describing the same place, without any chance that we planned it in advance."

"THAT IS ENOUGH LUCY!"

"Father, please-"

Her father threw himself from his chair to tower even farther over her. "SILENCE!" He used a tone that she had not heard in years, and the cowering child that hid deep in her heart reacted to the violent outburst. Lucy held her tongue, waiting for her father to speak again. When he did, his voice boomed throughout the room.

"I do not care what fantasy you have created for yourself with this stranger you've brought to our home. I do not care that you claim to love him! I do not care that you claim to have known him in some past life. I do not care that you believe he used to be a dragon. I do not care that you believe you are meant to be together. I do not care that you do not wish to be married to Gray!

"The fact of the matter is you are Lucky Lucy Heartfilia, Princess of Fiore. Your life is not your own; it belongs to the people of our country. Your position in this kingdom means that you must make a good match, with a good, strong leader, so that one day you can rule in my place and protect this country and help it flourish. Gray is the best match for you to accomplish that goal, and I will not let some pink-haired ruffian interfere!

"I refuse to allow this farce to continue. I'm sorry, Lucy, but you will be marrying Gray tomorrow, no matter what I have to do to accomplish that. Bickslow!"

"Yes, your majesty?" came the reply from behind her.

"Please join us."

Lucy swallowed as she heard her favorite guard walk towards her, worried about what her father was planning. She gripped her keys tighter in her hand, annoyed by the layers of fabric between the keyring and her fingers. Would she have to fight her friend? Would her father have her knocked out the same way that Natsu had been?

He had said she'd be marrying Gray, no matter what. Lucy's heart clenched and went cold. _Was there some way Bickslow could use his magic to control her soul?_ Could he essentially run her like a puppet and make her attend the wedding tomorrow?

"Father-"

"I said silence!" When Bickslow came to a stop at her side, she didn't even look at her friend. She kept her eyes locked on her father's as she carefully tugged on her keys to unhook them through the layers of her dress. "Bickslow, you once explained to me how your seith magic works, but I am certain that you have practiced and strengthened in the past few years. Am I correct in that assumption?"

Bickslow's tone was wary as he answered. "Yes sir, that is correct."

"Tell me, how well can you manipulate a soul that you have not removed from its original body?"

"I'm sorry," Bickslow said slowly. "Can you explain what you mean?"

The air rushed from Lucy's lungs. She was right. Her father wanted to use her like a puppet to make her marry Gray, and he wanted to use Bickslow to do it. Even if she mostly forgave him for what happened with Natsu, Lucy wasn't sure that Bickslow wouldn't use his magic on her, and if she didn't act quickly, she could end up in a similar situation. She turned terrified eyes towards the guard, who was still staring up at the king confused. "I'm sorry," she whispered as she dropped the keys and then stepped back. She swiftly leaned down to pick up her keys. Grabbing the one she wanted, she summoned her spirit with ease. "Open, Gate of the Golden Bull, Taurus!"

Following the familiar ding dong and flash of light, her strongest spirit appeared before her, his axe at the ready. Sensing the severity of the situation, he didn't greet her with his usual puns or flirting. Bickslow took a couple steps back, hand moving to the hilt of his sword while he kept an eye on her spirit. Lucy moved to the side so she could see her father before speaking again.

"Father."

The king's eyes flew wide open as he fell back into his chair again. "You're a wizard…"

"Yes, Father, I am."

"How?" he whispered. "How did you learn magic?"

Lucy swallowed past the lump that formed in her throat. "Mother. She found me a teacher. When she passed away, I inherited her keys and learned how to use them."

When he just stared at her, she continued to speak. "Father, I have no desire to fight. I've only been learning magic as a way to defend myself. I don't want to fight Bickslow or the guards or anyone else. I just want to talk, okay?

The king just continued to study her for a long time. Eventually, his face fell, and his shock and anger were replaced with sadness. "Lucy, we need you to marry Gray tomorrow."

"Why? Why is it so important that I marry Gray? You and mom loved each other, right? Why are you so against me marrying for love, too?"

"I'm not against you marrying for love, Lucy, I am against you marrying a man without a name!"

"Father, our family has handed down the Hearfilia name through the woman's side for multiple generations. He's the perfect man for me to marry! He doesn't care if he gives up his last name. I know Gray has agreed to change his, but I also know that he's attached to his last name." Lucy glared as she straightened. "This is just like last time. You don't want me to marry him because there's no political advantages to be gained. Am I right?"

Her father looked away from her with a frown, spiking her anger. "Father, I love Gray, but I love him like a friend, like a _brother_. I only agreed to marry him because I believed he was my best prospect. A marriage with someone I cared about was better than someone who was old, or rude, or who had nothing in common with me. We were in the same boat. I didn't want you to keep parading men in front of me, and he didn't want to go through the same hassle.

"That's changed now. While I feel horrible about the uproar this will cause, he agrees with me. He wants me to be happy, just like I want him to be. Natsu makes me happy. I love him and I want to be with him, whether that means here as your heir or somewhere else as a regular citizen. I don't want to have to threaten you, Father, but being with Natsu is what's best for me and my happiness and I am going to be with him.

"Mom always talked about how spending time with us was so much better than all the jewels and money in the land, that happiness and love were the most important things. If mom were here, I know that she would agree with me."

The king leaned back to study his daughter, his face surprisingly calm. He gestured at Bickslow to stand down, so the guard nodded and moved away from the pair. "Thank you, Taurus," Lucy whispered as she closed his gate. Her spirit gave her a small smile as he disappeared.

Her father watched, his eyes lighting up a little, before he went back to studying her. The silence began to weigh on her after a while, but she remained where she was, back straight and face calm. She was doing this for Gray, so he could find someone who would love and support him fully. She was doing this for Natsu, who was unfairly punished and cursed, when all he'd done was fall in love with a princess.

Most of all, she was doing this for herself. She had been the dutiful royal her entire life. She'd done everything she was supposed to do, befriended everyone she was supposed to, taken all of the lessons she was supposed to, done everything she could to be the perfect princess for her father and her country. She deserved this one thing, and she would not stop fighting until she got it.

Eventually, the king spoke. "Guards, one of you please go fetch King Fullbuster." After the door closed again, her father patted the chair to his right. "Come sit with me, Lucy."

She carefully climbed the stairs to sit beside her father, crossing her ankles carefully under her legs. "Father-"

"Enough, Lucy," her father said with surprising gentleness. "We have a few things to discuss, but I believe that Gray should join us first."

A small, warm ball of hope began to glow in her chest as she watched her father take her hand in his. He sent a small smile her way, fanning that ball into something bigger.

There was a chance. Somehow, she had found the right thing to say and her father was finally listening to her. While she was a little worried about what he wanted to say to Gray, she had faith that they were going to work everything out. By the time Gray entered the room, Lucy was smiling so wide, her cheeks hurt.

She was going to get to be with Natsu.

* * *

Natsu threw himself at the bars again, focusing all his strength on the same bar. He'd lost his abilities, so he couldn't just melt the bars, and it was _so infuriating._ A few times he had wondered what it would be like to be rid of the curse, but now that he was, he wished he still had it. His abilities would have been awfully convenient in his current situation. Growling, he continued to take out his anger on the bars holding him in. He was alone in his despair; the noise he was making had already annoyed the guards enough that they had left.

 _Idiots_ , he thought, kicking the bar again. That guard Lucy was fond of had somehow knocked him out and he hadn't woken up until he was already locked up. Even without his abilities, he knew if he could just get free, he could easily fight his way out. It didn't matter how sore his body was, how heavily the exhaustion weighed down on his limbs, he needed to get out and get to Lucy.

His anger spurred him on as he attacked the bars even more violently. Not only had the king sent Natsu to the dungeons, he'd turned around and had the guards restrain _Lucy_ , his own daughter!

Natsu smirked when the bar bent under his foot. It wasn't much, but it proved that Natsu still had much more strength that a normal human. As his muscles began to scream louder than his ability to drown them out, he finally sat down to catch his breath. He tried, and failed, to create fire on his body. He tried, and failed, to adjust his form. He tried, and failed, to breathe fire out of his mouth. He tried, and failed, to fly, even for a moment.

Well, he was hotter than normal and he was still very strong. He supposed that would have to be enough to get him out of there. It was very inconvenient that he'd lost the curse, but he remembered exactly why the mage had done it and was not surprised it was gone. He wondered if she knew when she did it that some of the changes would remain, or if she had just messed up the spell somehow.

As he caught his breath and pondered the position he found himself in, he heard a door open and close down the hall. He moved slightly to lean against the wall as he folded his legs under himself on the bed. He crossed his arms just as someone came to stand in front of the door to his cell. Natsu's entire demeanor changed as he realized who had joined him. " _You._ " He strode purposefully across his small cell and reached out for the front of the man's shirt.

Gray barely moved back in time to avoid getting grabbed. "Calm down, pyro, I'm not here to fight you."

"But _I_ wanna fight _you_ , so let me out so I can hit ya!"

Gray sighed. "For many reasons, ones I'm sure you can figure out on your own, I'm not going to fight you. You are important to Lucy, so I don't want to hurt you."

Natsu laughed. "You think you'd hurt _me?_ That's rich coming from-"

Gray stared at the former dragon, his expression serious as he cut Natsu off. A long, think piece of ice stretched between one of his palms to the bottom of Natsu's chin. Natsu swallowed, causing the ice to prick him. "So much for royals not having magic."

Gray didn't even look surprised that he knew. "It's more uncommon to find people without magic in my country than people with it. There are a lot of ice mages back home, not that that's a surprise, considering the climate."

Natsu took a step back with his hands raised. "Alright, you can put up a fight, I get it. I won't kill you, because I know Lucy cares about you." His look darkened as he watched Grey disperse his ice while he glanced around, making sure he hadn't been seen. "However, you kissed Lucy, and I owe you a punch for that."

"Maybe another time, lover boy. Right now, I need to bring you upstairs."

Natsu squinted at the other man as he pulled out a key and a pair of shackles. "Why?"

"King Jude, Lucy and I have been speaking for the last couple hours, and have finally come to an agreement about what to do with you. I was asked to retrieve you, so you can be a part of the remainder of the negotiations."

Nastu's heart leapt at the thought of seeing Lucy again, but he scowled as he saw the iron cuffs the other man pulled from his belt. "You'll have to put these on for now. Until negotiations are over, you are still considered a prisoner in this castle and even I can't save you from that. Lucy talked her father out of the ankle restraints, but you still have to wear these." He tossed the irons at Natsu. "As a sign of good faith, I think you should put them on yourself. Then I will lock them."

Natsu considered the space between them, the irons in his hands, and the key Gray held in a loose grip. Could he get it? Could he move fast enough to avoid being stabbed but still get the key?

Gray frowned at Natsu, obviously understanding his silence. "If you attack me, not only will my entire country be calling for your head, the king will have you killed, no matter what problems it causes with Lucy. If you're dead, then the only logical match left for Lucy would be me, and we would marry tomorrow as originally planned. Is that what you want? Keep your shit together, hothead."

Natsu glared, but saw the reason behind his words. Silently, he put the irons on and held out his arms for Gray to lock them. He kept his muscles loose, trying to be as unthreatening as possible. Once he was secured, Gray unlocked the door and let him out, gesturing for the man to follow him as he led Natsu back up into the warmer floors of the castle.

They followed several empty hallways, pausing at the end of one while Gray waited for the coast to be clear, and then they quickly make their way to the large double doors of the throne room. Gray nodded at the two guards stationed on either side as he turns to Natsu. "Don't do anything stupid and you'll be okay." As the doors opened, he pushed Natsu ahead of him into the room.

He spoke once more, so quietly only Natsu can hear him. "And if you even _think_ about hurting Lucy, I'll kill you." The door shut behind Natsu before he could even think of a response. On reflex, Natsu scanned the room around him to assess the dangers.

The room had a high ceiling, as high as the ballroom, with torches lit on the walls and pillars to create a warm, bright glow throughout the room. There was a long rug laid out in the middle of the room leading to the stairs at the end of the room. Pillars lined the carpet on either side with small busts sitting on shorter pillars standing in front of them. At the end of the room, Lucy's favored guard stood at the bottom of the stairs. At the top of the stairs, he could see her father sitting in his throne with Lucy seated to his right. The king's face was blank, but Lucy's was lit up in a smile that glowed brighter than all the fire in the room.

The king beckoned to him with a couple fingers. Natsu glanced at Lucy again before walking towards them, a memory surfacing as he did.

 _He stood at the base of the stairs, the throne room empty save for him and the king. Not even his faithful guards were present, which worried him as he fell down to his knee. "You summoned me, your majesty?"_

" _Yes, I wanted to talk to you about what has been going on with my daughter."_

 _Natsu gulped, fear spiking as he continued to stare down at the smooth stone beneath him. "Anything specific, my lord?"_

" _Yes. I believe we spoke once before about your actions with my daughter and this little friendship you've built with her, correct?"_

 _Natsu flinched at his use of the word 'friendship'. "Yes sir."_

" _Do you remember what I told you then?"_

" _You said you did not appreciate that I was spending time so much time around her. That she is a princess and should not be associating with the likes of me in her spare time."_

" _So you're not as stupid as you look." Natsu's hackles rose, but he kept his mouth shut. "I believed that I got my message across the last time we spoke, but it seems that my daughter's presence must have distracted you, so I will be more candid this time."_

 _The king stood and came down the stairs, where Natsu was still kneeling, his eyes fixed firmly on the floor. The king did not speak again until he stood before the younger man, and when he did, his words were cold and clipped, leaving no room for argument._

" _Natsu Dragneel, I will give you two choices. Either you can break off this courtship with my daughter, or I will have you banished from Fiore."_

 _Natsu felt his heart fall into his stomach. "What?"_

" _My daughter deserves more than what you can give her, and I am done allowing this little romance you have created with her. You can't seriously believe that your little tête-à-tête will go anywhere. She has prospects with princes and lords all over the country. I can't allow her to give that up to be with someone as low class as yourself. So either you leave her on your own, or I will force you to leave the country."_

 _Natsu's heart hit the cold, hard stone beneath him as he fought to breathe. "It's not like that…"_

" _I'm sure it's not."_

" _It's not… I love her, your highness, and she loves me. I can't just leave her."_

" _Those are your choices. You have one day to decide, and I demand that you stay away from my daughter from here on out, am I understood?"_

 _Tears began to fall from his eyes to collect on the floor with his heart. "I understand, your highness."_

Natsu blinked away the memory as he arrived at the bottom of the stairs, in the same spot his last king had ripped out his heart. The current king stared down at him with a curious expression. Natsu tried to keep his eyes to himself, but he couldn't help but look over at Lucy. She was in one of his favorite dresses, one that fit to her form well, but was also comfortable. The smile she wore was sweet and excited and made his blood boil at the same that it filled his body with calm.

"My daughter has told me a great about you, Natsu Dragneel."

Natsu swallowed and straightened his spine as his gaze returned to the king. Unsure of what to say, he merely nodded, waiting for whatever was to come.

"I hope that you understand what a precarious position I am in at the moment, with a wedding planned tomorrow, and a now reluctant bride, while my home is filled with family and royals from across the country and neighboring kingdoms."

"Yes sir. I'm sorry that my presence has caused so much trouble, but I don't regret being here for Lucy, consequences be damned."

"I expected as much," the king said, continuing to give nothing away. "I have a proposition for you, Mr. Dragneel. I'm not sure if you will agree to it, but I can assure you that I will allow for more negotiation than it appears my predecessor did."

Natsu glanced at Lucy, before returning his eyes to the king's. "Alright, what do you want?"

"I think if the appropriate actions are taken, everyone in this room can have what they want and the kingdom can continue to prosper. We have spoken with King Fullbuster, and he has agreed to help us with negotiating with Croatia so that we can take care of the problems that we have with King Jose. In exchange, Lucy has agreed to offer her help to Gray in helping him find a suitable bride.

"Lucy has also agreed to make an announcement at the ball tonight about her and Gray breaking their engagement. I assume Gray with join her for that, and in an effort to avoid any rumors from spreading, you will be remaining out of the spotlight for the time being, so you will not be returning to the festivities.

"I will be sending word to some very distant relatives in Seven tomorrow. Several decades ago, a cousin of the royal family was banished after a misunderstanding between their family and an advisor to the king. She left with her family and never returned, but she kept in touch with my wife's mother. After she passed, her daughter, Grandeeney, kept in touch with my wife, until she passed. Layla mentioned more than once that Grandeeney had always wanted to be able to come visit, and I am considering honoring that request.

"From what I remember, Grandeeney has a sister who inherited a recessive gene in the family that gave her pink hair. I plan on working with Grandeeney to pass you off as her sister's son. It shouldn't be terribly difficult; if I remember correctly, her sister was not fond of people and did not like change, so the chances of her coming here to visit are slim, meaning you shouldn't have to try to fake a relationship with her. I can have the appropriate papers put together making you their family and retracting their banishment relatively quickly. As soon as they consent to our agreement, I will send the paperwork their way, and when they come visit, you can spend as much time as you need getting acquainted with them.

"In the meantime, I will be sending you with a few of my most trusted advisors to learn proper etiquette for a royal. Their teachings will be just as complete as hiring you a tutor without the hassle of trying to find someone who keep your secret. Bribery is always an option, but it is not always a reliable way to keep someone's silence. Lucy will also be helping with your education, along with her friend Levy, I am sure. You will remain on the castle grounds and out of sight of any visitors until your new family returns, at which point you will spend no less than one month publically getting to know Lucy before you can begin a proper courtship. Any sooner and it could lead to too many questions.

"I will expect you to devote all of your time to learning how to be a proper gentleman and future ruler of this country so that you do not embarrass this family, this country, or my daughter. I am sure that after Lucy's announcement this evening, things will be in an uproar for a few days, but after things have settled down again, I would like to hear more about your past and what you remember from before you were cursed. I would like to know what kind of man my daughter has chosen. Both of them."

The king paused as Natsu continued to stare up at him with wide, disbelieving eyes. "I have many questions, but I can wait to ask most of them. For right now, I only have one for you, Natsu. If I bless a union between you two, can you promise me that you will take care of Lucy and care for her to the best of your ability for the remainder of your life, along with this country that we have spent so many generations leading?"

Natsu glanced up at Lucy, who was still watching him with a smile on her face, and tears beginning to form in her eyes. "Yes sir," Natsu said, straightening his back and giving the king his most serious face. "I would do everything in my power to be a good husband to your daughter, and a good king to this country."

The king nodded his head. "If you agree to my terms, then I will agree to allow you to court my daughter. As I said before, publicly, you must wait to reveal your relationship, but if what Lucy has told me is true, then I think it would be cruel to keep you apart until then. After all, I do know what it is like to be in love and what it is like to have that taken away from you." He stood, clasping his hands behind his back. "Do you agree to my terms?"

"Absolutely, your highness. I'd do anything to be with Lucy."

"Good, that's settled then." Jude turned towards Bickslow. "I need your men to come with Lucy and I to the ballroom for the announcement. Can you see Natsu to his room for me? Make sure to not be seen."

Bickslow bowed. "Yes sir, I will see it done." He glanced at Natsu and then back at the king as he took Lucy's hand to lead her down the stairs. "Your highness, would you like his restraints removed?"

The king looked surprised. "Oh yes, I apologize. I completely forgot." The guard removed a key from his pocket and quickly removed the shackles. Natsu rubbed the exposed skin as he drank in the sight of Lucy moving towards him.

"I'll come visit you after I'm done in the ballroom, alright?" she asked, squeezing his arm as she stopped at his side.

He nodded. "That sounds nice. I think I need the time until then to work through everything that's happening."

She gave him a radiant smile, and after a quick glance at her father, moved forward to kiss him on the cheek. Before she could pull back, he reached up to cup the back of her head and lean his forehead into hers. "Thank you," he whispered.

Her answering laugh made his stomach fill with butterflies. Then she was pulling back and leaving with her father and the other guards. When he was alone with Bickslow, he finally allowed his legs to collapse under himself, catching his torso before he could fully fall over.

"You gonna be okay?" the guard asked.

Natsu leaned forward, focusing on his breathing. "I think so. I feel like a dragon was sitting on my chest and then suddenly decided not to eat and flew away. I've never been so nervous in my life. This life anyway. I'm still trying to remember everything about the last one."

The guard laughed as he kneeled down. "Think you can manage to walk? Sitting on a bed is going to be more comfortable then passing out here on the floor. Plus, the princess will be worried if she finds you passed out here instead of in your room."

"You're probably right." Natsu lifted his head to look at the guard.

"Need a hand?"

"Sure, thanks." Natsu reached up, and as he took the guard's hand, he made a fist with his free hand and punched the man in the face, denting his helmet.

"OW! SHIT!" Bickslow reached up to pull the helmet off his head. He rubbed his nose, feeling blood already dripping from a cut. "What was that for, man?"

"Knocking me out," Natsu growled. Slowly, he made his way to his feet as Bickslow continued to wipe at the blood dripping down his nose.

"You feel better?"

Natsu smiled. "Yep. Now I just have to punch that ice idiot and I'll be good."

Bickslow laughed as he moved towards the door. "Good luck with that. Gray's a king. Punching him is very different from just punching a guard. Come on," he said as he reached the door. "Let's get you to your room."

Natsu joined him as he looked down the hall to make sure the coast was clear. "You're really not going to swing back at me?" he asked, genuinely curious.

"Nah, I'll let you have that one. I deserved it, and you said you were good, so I don't see the need to start a fight." He grinned as he started leading them down the hall. "However, if you ever want a to learn to fight, I could use a good sparring partner. You have a mean left hook."

Natsu smiled at him, liking the guard immensely. "I can see why you're Lucy's favorite."

"What can I say? I've got a great personality." A few minutes later, they had successfully found their way to Natsu's new room.

"I know you know who I am, but it feels weird not to have done any introductions." Natsu stuck out his hand. "My name is Natsu."

The guard gave his hand a firm shake. "Bickslow. In case it wasn't clear, I'm sure you know this, but I'm one of the people who will kick your ass if you do anything to hurt the princess." His smile widened. "But as long as you're a decent guy, I think you and I will get along just fine. You have a good night."

The guard turned to leave, but before he got far, Natsu called out to him. "When can I start sparring with you?"

Bickslow stopped to face his new friend. "Give it a few days. Once this place isn't crawling with guests, I can show you around properly and give you a good thrashing."

Natsu grinned, "Sounds good." He chuckled as he entered the room. As he laid on the bed, he wondered how many of the secret pathways Bickslow knew about and just how many things _he_ could show the guard about the castle.

* * *

Natsu had fallen asleep by the time Lucy entered his room, but he woke up instantly as he heard the door to his room latch shut. Not wanting to alert her just yet, he kept his breathing even and his eyes closed. He heard her creep closer, and he wondered if perhaps his hearing was more sensitive or if it was just because it was dark. He could almost _swear_ that he could hear the tears falling from her eyes.

There was a gentle dip in the mattress at his side, and then she was touching him, fingers as light as feathers as they skimmed over his arm, then his chest and neck, up over cheek, and gently through his hair. He let out a soft moan as she ran her nails through his hair. She paused at the sound and then threw her arms around him. He caught her and sat up so he could hold her as she clung to him. He could smell her tears before he felt them begin to soak his shirt.

Lucy clung to him tightly, her arms wrapped so hard around his neck that he was nearly smothered in her chest. He kept his head tilted just enough so that he could breathe while she continued to sob into his neck. He didn't try to stop her, just murmured to her, words of encouragement and love and promises that he had every intention of keeping. By the time she stopped crying, she had moved down so that she was curled up in his lap, her head pressed against his chest. Eventually she pulled away.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, trying to wipe her eyes and nose.

"It's okay," he said with a smile. Laughing at how poorly she was doing cleaning herself up, he leaned back just enough to pull off his shirt to hand it to her. "Here. This is old and ruined anyway."

In the moonlight that came through the open window, Natsu was certain he could see her blushing. He didn't move as he waited for her to finished cleaning herself up. When she did, she handed his shirt back, but he threw it across the room before pulling her to him again.

Lucy gasped as she landed against his bare chest. "Y-you do remember me telling you that being shirtless around women isn't appropriate, don't you?"

He shrugged. "I think we can make an exception this time, don't you?"

She carefully laid her hand against his chest as she nodded, marvelling at how warm his skin was. How taunt and smooth it was. How nice the muscle felt under her palm as she moved it…

Natsu shivered, breaking her from her reverie. "Sorry!" she squeaked.

She felt his answering laugh through her whole body. "Don't apologize, Luce. I don't mind you putting your hands on me. Would you like to touch more?"

Even with how warm he was, he could feel her body heat at his words, so he leaned back on the bed, stretching her out with him. Then he pulled her legs to either side of his and helped her to sit up, her pelvis directly above his. He kept his hands on her knees as she stared down at him. "Touch to your heart's content, my love."

Lucy swallowed at his words, not sure if she was more affected by the way he had offered himself to her or by the endearment. Slowly, she reached out and ran her hands over the muscles on his stomach. They contracted slightly under her palms, making her hands shake a little in response. Gradually, they made their way up to his chest, where she smoothed her hands over the surprisingly hairless skin. As her hands made their way to his neck, they made a surprising turn towards his arms, where they carefully slid down until the could grasp his hands in her own. Lucy tugged on his hands to remove them from her knees.

She pulled them up to her face, rubbing and kissing them for a while before placing his palms against her face. "Natsu," she whispered.

"What is it, Luce?"

"I'm…" She swallowed a couple times as tears gathered in her eyes. "I'm just so happy right now. I'm so glad that we're finally together…"

Natsu sat up quickly, pulling her arms around him again. He ran his large palms up and down her back, easily warming her through the thin fabric of her dress. "I am too, Luce. I'm the happiest being on the planet right now. I love you so much and even though I still kind of want to wring Eliza's neck, I'm glad that she saved me for you."

Lucy stopped her tears much more quickly this time, pulling away as she wiped away the stray tears. "It's too bad we weren't able to thank her."

"Maybe we can go visit her grave, if we can figure out where she's buried. I wouldn't put it passed her to set up magic that could trigger with us showing up."

Lucy laughed. "She did seem like the type of person to do that. I'll ask Levy tomorrow. She's a descendant, so maybe she knows where she is."

"Sounds like a plan," Natsu said, pulling her in for another hug. Lucy kissed the top of his head and then his temple as Natsu continued to breathe in her scent. "Hey, Luce?"

"Yeah?"

He pulled away. "Was telling everyone terrible? I don't know what kind of story you came up with, but I don't your reputation to tank just because of me."

"Don't worry, Gray and I handled it. Some people were disappointed, but a lot more of them are okay with it. Apparently a lot of people weren't into the idea of joining the countries, mostly the people from Gray's country, so it was almost a relief that we decided not to marry."

Natsu let out a breath. "That's good. I don't want to create friction once I start officially courting you."

"I think you'll be fine." Lucy tilted her head to the side, studying him in the moonlight that fell through the window.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I was just thinking that we should begin your lessons."

He frowned. "Right now?"

She nodded. "The sooner the better."

"Alright, I guess. What do you want to start with?"

"Let's start with some things that you shouldn't do."

"Okay…"

She pulled away a little. "First of all, being alone with a lady, especially an unmarried one, is very improper, as is being around one without your shirt on." She slowly ran her hand up his chest to his neck and into his hair. "Sitting on the lap of a man who is not your husband is considered very scandalous and indecent." She moved her legs and settled more comfortably onto his lap, making his eyes light up.

"Well I most certainly would not want to get a young lady in trouble by doing such things. What else must I avoid, for the sake of a young miss's reputation?"

"Touching anything you would not touch while dancing is high improper." She shivered as he ran his hands up her legs, his heated palms leaving behind a trail as they slipped over her hips and up her sides. He grazed the sides of her breasts before heading back down to her legs.

"What else?" he asked, his voice huskier than before.

"U-uh, you should never kiss a lady anywhere besides her hand." Natsu pulled her hand up towards his face to kiss the skin of her wrist, slowly working his way up. "E-especially," Lucy continued, "her shoulders or n-neck."

Natsu grinned against her skin as he pulled her hands around him and brought his lips down on her collarbone. He peppered kisses across the skin there slowly, then made his way up her neck, relishing in the shivers that passed through her body. Her hands moved up to thread through his hair, pressing subtley against his scalp to steer his lips where she wanted them. He followed the line of her jaw, around her ear to her cheek. When she stalled out there, he pulled back. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes bright, and she was breathing hard. The way her legs kept squeezing his every so often was doing things to his body that he was trying very hard to ignore and hoped she didn't notice.

He swallowed as he took a deep breath. "Is there anything else I should avoid doing to young ladies? While alone." He squeezed her sides. "While they sit on my lap?"

She nodded. "Definitely don't… don't k-kiss them."

Natsu leaned forward to gently peck at her cheek. Her hands were still in his hair, so he continued to gently press his lips against her cheek until, finally, he felt her hands tug him towards her mouth. As he finally brought his lips close, he kissed the corner of her lips, and suddenly he found himself being smothered by Lucy's mouth.

There was no gentle, there was no working their way up to the kiss, there was nothing but the need to brand the other with their mouth. They breathed in the love coming from the other and breathed out their love in return. The kiss was filled with teeth, lips, and tongue as they branded their claim on the other in a time honored fashion.

Natsu eventually fell back against the bed beneath him, his muscles tired from the stress of the day and holding them both up. Lucy followed him, moving up his body so she could still reach his mouth with her own. She ran her hands greedily over his skin as he continued to touch her body through her dress.

In the heat of the moment, Lucy started undoing her dress, intent on yanking it off and allowing Natsu the chance to touch everything that was his. When he realized what she was doing, he pulled away to grab her hands. "Woah, woah, woah, Luce, what are you doing?"

Lucy was breathing hard, but his hands on hers caused the rest of her body to freeze. "I… I thought maybe you would want to…" She blushed as she started redoing her buttons. "I'm sorry, I was stupid. I just thought- nevermind."

Natsu grabbed her shaky hands and brought them to his hands. "My love, you have nothing to apologize for. I don't want to push you faster than you are comfortable going. This is a confusing time for us, with the memories of two lives trying to sort themselves out like they are. Even though Natsu and Ellie were close and in love for a few months, Natsu and Lucy haven't been. I don't want to do anything too fast and have you regretting anything." He dropped her hands so he could gently grab her face.

"I love you. I want to be with you, and _be with you_ , but I think we should wait. A few months isn't so bad after we've waited a few generations, right?" Natsu wiped away the tears that slid down her eyes.

"I love you, too," she whispered, leaning down to hug him again. "I just wish I didn't have to wait so long until I could make you mine, you know?"

"The time will fly by, just you wait." He rubbed her back with long sure strokes. "There's a few things we have to do before we can get married. I need to meet my new family. Learn how to be a proper gentleman, in _this_ time. Properly court you. Clean out my cave, because there's no way I'm leaving all my stuff out there."

Lucy laughed as he made his to-do list. She snuggled into his naked chest, contemplating how much trouble she would be in if she stayed the night in his room. He was so warm, and she was so comfortable, she didn't want to move. Plus, as she listened to him talk, his voice soothed her frazzled nerves, making her eyelids feel heavy and making her forget about all the problems from the day. The only thing that mattered at that moment was that she was with Natsu, and she would never have to be without him again.

"Not to mention the thing that is number one on my list."

Lucy lazily raised her eyes up to look up at him. "Marrying me isn't at the top of your list?"

"It's a close second."

She pouted at him. "What could be more important than that?"

"Getting my revenge," he said with a gleam in his eye. "I gotta punch Gray in the face for kissing you." As she gaped at him, he kissed her forehead and rolled them both over. "For now, let's go to sleep. I'm exhausted and I'm sure you are, too."

Lucy sighed as she got comfortable. As she settled in, he reached over her to pull the blanket back and around her then curled his arm around her back. He nuzzled his nose against her as he said, "Don't want you to get cold."

"Mmm." Her exhaustion hit her hard as she became surrounded in his warmth. She decided that the risk of getting in trouble in the morning was worth sleeping with Natsu again, so she tucked her hand under her chin, right next to his arm, and settled in to fall asleep.

Just before her mind grew fuzzy with sleep, she nudged Natsu's arm. "You can hit Gray, but don't hit him in the face." Natsu whined a little, but he conceded. "And I know what Bickslow did was tricky, but you're not allowed to get revenge on him. He was only doing his job."

Natsu chuckled as he tightened his arms. "Too late."

Lucy's eyes widened and then she sighed. It was going to take time to get to know this version of Natsu, who was a combination of the soft spoken, gentle man of her past and the more impulsive, loud and physical man of the present. As she listened to his breathing even out behind her, she smiled.

She couldn't wait.

* * *

The breeze was mild, but it did help to cool the pair that stood in the shade, hiding from the midday sun.

"I _told_ you it was too hot for a ride today," Lucy groaned as she tied her horse to the tree.

"And I told _you_ , I have a plan," Natsu responded with a grin as he tied up his own horse.

"I'd feel better if I knew what this plan was." Lucy moved closer to him as he stood from checking his horse's leg. "Is he okay?"

"Yep, looks like his hoof is doing just fine." Natsu grabbed the basket tied to his saddle and grabbed Lucy's hand to pull her farther into the woods.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see, love."

Lucy smiled at his pet name for her. It had been all too easy for them to fall back into their old relationship when they'd recovered their memories so many months ago. It had been much easier for Natsu, since he'd forgotten most of his time as a dragon. He still had nightmares occasionally, from his leftover guilt over killing people, but they were working through it, together. She, on the other hand, had essentially two lives to sort through, and while the old memories did indeed feel more like dreams, she could still remember so much about her former life, and it was sometimes hard to distinguish between the two.

Suddenly, Natsu stopped and turned to face her. "Cover your eyes and give me your hand."

"Natsu-"

"Just do it. I promise, it'll be worth it." She sighed, but did as she was told. Since she couldn't see, she focused on listening to what was ahead of her. She realized quickly that she could hear a waterfall and it wasn't long before they stopped and he let her open her eyes to see she'd heard correctly. They were next to a small lake, with a waterfall on the far end, surrounded by dozens of different kinds of flowers.

"This place is amazing," she breathed, walking forward slowly.

"Yep, and it's all ours." They were in the Dark Woods, and though the dragon guardian was no longer around, only a small handful of people knew, so it was still free from human interference. Natsu placed the basket in the shade and pulled Lucy towards the water. "Care to go for a swim with me?"

"A swim? I didn't bring a swimsuit."

He chuckled as he ran his hands up and down her body. His eyes became hooded, and his smile was full of promise. "Who said you needed a swimsuit?"

They had been married for a couple months, but Lucy still blushed like a virgin sometimes when Natsu suggested doing something new. "You want to go skinny dipping?" she squeaked.

"That sounds like a perfect way to spend an afternoon."

"What about the food?"

"I'd much rather eat you," he whispered into her neck, then ran his tongue up her neck. Despite the heat, goosebumps broke out all over her skin.

After a deep breath, she pulled away from him and tried to give him a teasing smile as she began to unbutton his shirt. "I suppose swimming first would be the responsible thing to do." Her mouth grew dry as she exposed the skin beneath his shirt. "You're not suppose to swim for a while after you eat, so we really should swim first."

She had barely finished undoing the last button before Natsu's shirt, vest and shoes had been removed. Half naked, he spun her around and hastily started undoing the lacing of her dress.

Natsu was going to go mad if he he didn't get his loving wife out of her dress. He had been away for three days, and being newlyweds, that had been much too long in his opinion. He wanted her naked and he wanted it _now_. Much quicker than usual, he managed to get her dress undone and yanked it down her body, which made her squeak in protest and her arms flew to cover herself. He could see her blush spread across her neck up to her ears as she stood with her back to him. Quickly, he removed the rest of his clothing before he moved to stand behind her.

He careful pressed himself flush against her back, causing her breath to catch in that way that made his insides clench and then become liquid. He ran his hands up and down her sides, enjoying her smooth skin and the curve of her waist and hips. "Well, love, I'm ready to hop in, what do you think?"

Lucy had lost the ability to speak. The warm day was nothing compared to the heat coming off her husband when he was like this, and despite the pinpricks of sweat forming on her body, she couldn't find it in herself to care. Feeling every one of his muscles pressed against her soft curves was causing some serious havoc with her breathing. His hands against her skin were not enough of a distraction from the heated pulse she could feel against her backside that let her know this probably wouldn't be just a swim. He arms came around her slowly, ever so carefully grazing the underside of her breasts, causing them to tingle. He was so good at making her want with just a few little touches, it was driving her mad.

Not that she didn't have a similar power, when she could shake off her shyness. It was getting easier with every passing day, but when they tried new things, like this, she always had to deal with a bout of uneasiness. Lucy took a deep breath then lowered her arms and stepped free from her dress and his arms. She turned with one hand on her hip to look at Natsu and watched as his eyes filled with want, his body barely restraining itself as his eyes roamed across her body. His desire was obvious in the way his entire body shuddered, the way his eyes darkened, the way his tongue came out to run across his bottom lip. Not to mention the various obvious way his manhood was pointing at her.

Lucy flashed him the sexiest smile she could manage before turning to walk into the water. She was only thigh deep before he came up behind her and started running his hands all over her body. He continued to move with her until they were almost chest high, his hands still roaming her body as she turned in his arms to do the same. His lips crashed down onto hers as he moaned and she let her hands roam farther south. Another groan left his throat as he moved to kiss the sensitive skin on her neck, occasionally nibbling on her as well. It wasn't long before he was twitching uncontrollably and he pulled her hands away.

Raising his hands to her face, the old Natsu shone through as he carefully, oh so carefully, cradled her face in his hands and kissed her. The kisses were light, reverent, and full of love. Even as they grew deeper, they were still gentle and slow and Lucy groaned as though she was going to go mad.

"Natsu…" she whined. "Please…"

His voice was gruff and much lower than usual. "Someone's antsy."

"It's been three days. I don't want to wait anymore." She lifted up on her toes to nibble on, and then whisper in his ear. "Plus, the sooner we get started, the sooner we can do it again."

His answering growl was the only warning she got as he lifted her up and quickly but carefully slid inside her. She gasped as she wrapped her legs around his waist, but he had a firm hold on her thighs and he was already moving their bodies together. Their breaths mingled as they gasped and moaned into each other's mouths between kisses. Their time apart meant Lucy felt the tension inside her snap all too soon, making her groan loudly, followed swiftly by Natsu. He continued to move for a while after, wringing as many gasps and moans as he could from his loving wife, who did her part to draw several noises from him as well.

In the afterglow, he slowly moved them towards a large rock where he could sit down and Lucy could straddle his lap as they rested. The water still came up to their chests when they were sitting, so they stayed cool despite being in the sunlight.

"I missed this," she sighed as she snuggled closer.

"I did, too," he answered. He ran his hand up and down her back, as he thought about the last several months and everything that had changed for them. "Hey, Lucy?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you regret anything that happened?"

Lucy pulled back a little to look into Natsu's eyes. He was watching her with a bland expression, but she could see everything she needed to in his eyes. While the both of them were extremely happy, sometimes he would question himself and she would have to reassure him that she didn't regret what had happened, in the past or when he'd been a dragon. Despite the fact that she knew he would make the same choice if he had to again, he sometimes had moments of doubt.

"I don't regret anything I had to go through to have you," she answered, sitting up straighter so she could kiss him. He deepened the kiss, exploring her mouth thoroughly as he ran his hands all over her body. Soon, they pulled apart, breathless and smiling. "What about you?" she asked.

"I kind of miss being a dragon, sometimes." He planted featherlight kisses all over her face, neck and shoulders. "I like that I kept the strength, and never getting cold is nice, but I miss the wings. Flying was the best part."

She returned the kisses when he paused to answer and then gently bit his neck. "I meant, do you regret what you lost. Do you miss anything from when you were human? Your family, friends, anything like that?"

He lifted his hands and held her face still as he stared into her eyes. "Lucy, I would do anything, give up anything, go anywhere, put up with anything and everything if it meant that I got to one day be with you. I don't regret anything, because it led to this, to us, being together." He kissed her again, a long meeting of lips, sure and sweet. "I love you."

"I love you, too." Lucy threw her arms around her husband, her dragon protector, her lover… her Natsu. No matter what happened, they had each other, and despite what they had gone through to get to where they were, it had all been worth it.

Being in Natsu's arms, being with him, was all she'd ever needed. As they smiled at each other, Lucy silently sent her thanks to the heavens, hoping her dear friend could hear her. It was because of Eliza that she could be this happy, and while that was a debt she could never repay, it was one she'd never forget.

 **Here you go, children. A proper ending. Let me know if you love it or hate or anything else you'd like say about it.**

 **Thanks for the love, guys, and as always, happy reading!**


	36. Scraps

**Hey guys, just as a little bonus for being so awesome (and hopefully not hating me for psyching you out like I did). Here's a couple scenes that I cut from the story, just for shiggles. (I'm sharing them for shiggles. They were cut for reasons.) The first scene I cut and rewrote after I decided that Gray would eventually be Lucy's almost-husband. In the original draft, they were going to be step siblings. The second one was a continuation of the scene where Ellie, Lucy's predecessor, first sees Natsu. Eventually I decided that I liked where I cut it off and just 'tossed' the other part.**

 **Have fun, thanks for the love, and as always, happy reading.**

* * *

A knock on her door interrupted her thoughts. "Hey, Lucy?" It was her brother, Gray. "Your father asked that I escort you down to the hall. Can I come in?"

Glancing down to make sure her dress hung evenly, she called out, "Yes, you can come in."

Gray entered the room with his usual confident stride. He wore a dark blue jacket over a white shirt, with black slacks and shoes. His dark hair, which was usually a little spikey, was slicked back with a side part. He smiled as she moved towards him. "Well you look great, as always."

"You look pretty good yourself," she smiled back.

He scoffed as he held out arm. "My hair looks ridiculous."

"Maybe you should cut it," she said, putting her arm through his.

"I only did this to appease your father. I'd rather not start a war with him over my hair." He walked with her into the hall, closing the door behind them. "So, are you ready for tonight? Which one is this, number 21?"

"23, but Father said this will be the last one for a few nights," she said, walking comfortably at his side.

"That could change by morning."

She sighed. "I know. I'm trying to be hopeful."

Gray had only been her stepbrother for a few years, but she was so very glad that he was around. His mother, Ur, and her father had married shortly after Gray's father had died. While their parents didn't get along too well, by tying herself to the king of Fiore, Ur had helped prevent a scuffle with a rival kingdom that shared a border with theirs in the north.

Gray had of course taken over for his father, but he frequently came to Crocus to talk to his mother when she was here. He had just turned 21 the month before, so he still asked her help from time to time when he was feeling overwhelmed.

"Have you met anyone you like yet?"

"Well…" She thought back to the last few weeks. Most of the men she'd met had either been much older than her or really boring. She hadn't met one yet that she felt she'd be able to connect with or would want to raise children with.

Lucy wasn't a fool; she knew she wasn't going to find a love match, but she wanted someone she could get along with. Someone she could talk to, who she would enjoy spending time with, and could grow to care for some day.

"To be honest, I don't think so. There was one, I think his name was Freed, who might work out. We had a really nice talk about books and a variety of subjects, but he seemed a little withdrawn. He's from one of the smaller countries though, I'm not sure Father would go along with that choice."

They'd made it to the grand staircase and started down. "If you're meeting them, doesn't that mean they've already been approved by him?"

"I'm not so sure. Duke Everlue made it onto the list."

Gray visibly shuddered. "Alright, you may be right. There isn't a soul alive that would marry their daughter to that… that…"

Lucy laughed out loud as Gray struggled to find a words to describe that particular duke. She was still laughing as they rounded the corner. They paused as the two men in the room turned their way. Initially ignoring the stranger, Lucy looked at her father. He was trying not to show it, but he was furious. Looking at the other man, she realized he looked nothing like the man described to her earlier in the day. He was probably a stand-in for her wouldbe suitor, which her father was obviously upset about.

She held back her sigh. This was going to be a long evening.

* * *

 _After she politely refused the lord who had stopped to ask her to dance, she looked across the dance floor. The man with the pink hair was gone, and as she scoured the room, she didn't see him. Disappointment bloomed in her chest and she wondered why she was so upset when she had no idea who the man was._

 _She wished she had something to drink and just as she started looking around for someone, a flute of champagne appeared in front of her face. Thinking one of the waiters had noticed, she looked up to thank him, only to realize it was the man with the pink hair._

 _He was grinning at her, a devilish look in his dark eyes. She got lost in them for a moment, certain she'd never seen eyes so dark in her life. When he waved the glass a little, she realized she had been staring and took the flute with a blush. "Thank you."_

 _"No problem, my lady." He bowed at her, his hand held to his chest. "My name is Natsu Dragneel. It's nice to meet you."_


End file.
